WitchBlade: Blade Of Light
by metaeditor
Summary: Beyond The Veil...At The End Of The Anime...


WITCHBLADE: BLADE OF LIGHT

BY

METAEDITOR

[Beyond The Veil...At The End Of The Anime...]

(X) 0. Forward (X)

This work is a 'somewhat accurate' allegory of the author's faith 'disguised' as an anime fanfic. Writing this story was a form of therapy and inspiration for the author during a dark period of their life. It is being made available in the hopes it will help others in need of hope and inspiration while living in a world clouded by the constant darkness that dwells in the hearts and minds of people at large. If you find this offensive, please /do not/ read this fanfic or comment on it. Thank you.

This fanfic contains material that individuals who have read certain fanfic stories and seen /a lot/ of entertainment material and remember past, noteworthy current events will appreciate as the author has in the past. If this isn't you, you can either /not/ read this fanfic or search for and gain full access to the unfamiliar material 'on the side' as you read through this fanfic (and any comments afterward) in order to appreciate such material and the inclusion of it in this fanfic. To reveal the exact details of this material 'up front' for such potential 'unfamiliar' readers would spoil the surprises in store for the readers who are more 'knowledgeable' of such material...

Please watch the 2006 Witchblade anime first. Chapters 17-24 contains 'key content' from it that 'sets the stage' for Chapters 25-40. Thank you.

Metaeditor

(X) 1. Origin (X)

/Before Time and outside of Time...Before Space and outside of Space...In another Realm of Existence.../

There always existed a Group of People.

They were led by a Couple.

A Man Named Kami-Sama and His Mate, A Beautiful Woman Named Hild.

()()()

"Oh, Dear...what are You Doing There?" asked Hild, walking up to Kami-Sama's Side.

"I just Planted...a Tree." replied Kami-Sama, standing up and stepping back from the Sapling He Planted in the grassy Ground before Them.

"A Tree?..." Hild repeated in curiosity, "What is a Tree?"

"A living Thing I have Created for Our Pleasure and Enjoyment." He turned to Hild and Looked into Her Eyes. "It is fed by the Presence of Us All, by the Ground It is Planted in, and by the Waters of the River near It. As /Time/ passes, It will grow and thrive and.../Create/..."

"/Fascinating/..." Hild replied softly with a Smile. With a Thought, She Changed the Apparel She Wore into something /utterly/ beautiful and appropriate for what She had in Mind to Do next. She took Kami-Sama's Hand into Her Own. "Come, Dear...Let Us go for a Swim before retiring to Our Bedchamber for.../Other Activities/..."

Kami-Sama Smiled back at Hild, Changing His Apparel appropriately as well. "As you wish, Dear Hild. Please lead the way."

The Two Deities Walked Hand in Hand to the Riverbank some distance away, leaving the Sapling behind to Grow, Thrive, and Create as Kami-Sama Commanded It to Do...

Hild let go of Kami-Sama's Hand, turned, and Dove into the River with a Splash. Kami-Sama followed Her into the River a moment later. They Both Swam off as a Couple, enjoying Themselves in the cool, clear, Water that enveloped Them...

()()()

/Later.../

Hild walked along the Riverbank Alone, Smiling as She went. Kami-Sama was Elsewhere, preoccupied with other Activities that merited His Attention.

She walked up to the Tree Kami-Sama Planted Earlier. It had grown and matured into a mighty, living Thing. Its branches were thickly covered with Leaves and drooping with Fruit ready to be Picked, Eaten, and Enjoyed. As Hild reached up to Grasp a Fruit, She noticed a flash of Light coming from the Tree's Trunk.

Hild lowered Her Arm, walked over to the Treetrunk, and Smirked. A Sign was Posted on the Treetrunk on a golden metal Placard. It read: HILD, /DON'T/ EAT THE FRUIT OF THIS TREE. IT WILL END /BADLY/ FOR YOU IF YOU DO. KAMI-SAMA

Puzzled, Hild Shrugged Her Shoulders, and Walked away from the Tree. She Decided to ask Kami-Sama about it when She Saw Him again. "Out of Everything Here with Us, why is this Tree one of the /Only/ Things Off-Limits to /Me?/"

()()()

/Later still...at the Tree/

Alone, Hild stared at the Placard, frowning. "Dear, how could you deny /Anything/ to /Me/ your /Mate?/" She Declared resolutely, both Hands Clenched into Fists. Her past Efforts to ask Kami-Sama about the Tree were met with either evasive Silence, a sad Smile, or the enigmatic Words '/That/...is a Secret...' A proud, haughty Look formed on Hild's Face. "Very well then, /I will/ find out for Myself. /I will/ be able handle it-I know /I will/."

Hild Reached up Her Hand and Picked one of the Fruits off of the Tree. She brought the Fruit down from the Tree to right up to Her Nose. It Looked and /Smelled/ delicious! Surely it Tasted delicious as well! Hild took a Bite and began to Chew as She Walked out from under the Tree. "MMMmmm..." She /Hummed/ with Delight-reveling in the Taste of the Fruit in Her Mouth. After a few moments, She Smiled and thought /down the Hatch/ and Swallowed the Mouthful of Fruit.

Nothing happened...

But only for a few moments...

Hild felt /tingly/ at the very Core of Her Being. It spread outward to encompass Her entire Body-causing Her to Drop the partially Eaten Fruit to the Ground where it shifted into a small, cresent-shaped Object that dissapeared Elsewhere. As the tingling intensified within Her, Hild felt Herself levitate-floating upward into to the Sky, gliding to a stop above the top of the Tree. She began to pirouette in midair-spinning faster and faster as Her Arms and Legs lifted Themselves up by the force of Her rotations. Hild Cried out Happily-filled with Giddiness, Her Limbs stretched out as far as They could. As Hild spun around at a constant rate, She Closed Her Eyes to savor the Experience.

Then.../It/ began to happen...

The tingly Sensation within Hild found Its way into Her Mind...filling It with Knowledge...both Good...and Not Good.

Hild Shrieked in Pain-She could /barely/ handle the amount of Information pouring into Her...Yet It /Transformed/ Her...

Her Apparel shifted and changed colors into a revealing, clingy, frilly, two-tone Bodysuit. A pair of low-heeled Shoes appeared on Her Feet. Beautiful, sparkling Jewelry materialized on and around various Parts of Her Body and Apparel-the Weight of it causing Her to sink back down to the Ground. Her Limbs sank to hang down normally as Her spinning slowing to a stop.

Hild landed on both Feet at the Riverbank but the Burden of all the Jewelry She now wore drove Her down onto one Knee. Leaning forward carefully, she looked at Her Reflection on the Surface of the River. After Looking a few moments, She pursed Her Lips and Blew out a long Whistle of Amazement and Astonishment.

"Hild, You have /thoroughly/ Disappointed Me..." Kami-Sama stated sadly.

With a start, Hild sprang up to Her Feet and Whirled around to Face the Tree again. She Saw Kami-Sama Step out from behind the Treetrunk and Stand next to It. "Uh, I can Explain-" She began Sheepishly, Her exposed Skin blushing in deep Embarassment.

"There /is/ no Explanation, Hild." Kami-Sama Pronounced in a firm, yet gentle Tone. "You disobeyed /Me/. You /will/ be Punished...However, Your Punishment will be Tempered by /My/ Mercy...for Our Daughter's Sake."

"/Daughter?/...We have no Daughter.../yet/." Hild replied as Realization struck Her. She lifted a Hand and stroked Her Belly. Within Her Body, a tiny Life /Grew/-Proof of the Love and Adoration They once Shared Together. At this, Hild slowly sank to one Knee, Bowed Her Head, and Closed Her Eyes. Tears of utter Joy mixed with deep, overwhelming Regret filled Her Eyes and dripped down to the Ground. "Here am I, Kami-Sama. Do with Me as You Wish..."

Kami-Sama addressed His wayward Mate in a solemn Tone. "Hild, You were My Mate and Queen. You are My Mate /no longer/. I have prepared a 'Queendom' in the Underworld Elsewhere for You to Inhabit filled with subjects to Rule over as Daimakaicho who have sided with Your Cause." Looking up at the Tree, He added, "Now I /must/ Repair the Damage You've /now/ Done...Goodbye Hild...Until the /next/ Time that We Meet..."

A Lump of Emotion formed in Hild's Throat. She Swallowed It down. "/Goodbye/...Kami-Sama..." She Murmurred sadly, feeling Herself Escorted to Her New Place of Residence in the Underworld Elsewhere...

(X)

/Even later still...in the Underworld Of Hild.../

"...Then I Opened My Eyes and found Myself down Here with the others who followed Me here." finished Hild, Seated behind Her Desk in Her Office. She Blew a Sigh of Reverie and Leaned back in Her Chair.

Mara sat in a chair in front of Hild's desk, awestruck. "Wow, Hild-Sama, No matter how many times you tell that Story, it /never/ gets boring! It should be on /all/ the best-seller lists worldwide 'topside'."

Hild Smiled knowingly at Mara's statement. "That will be all for now, Mara. Thank you for listening to My Story.../yet again/."

"Anytime, Hild-Sama." Mara stood up to leave. "You want me to go keep watch on the temple to see if anything unusual is up?"

"Sure thing." Hild permitted. "When you see Urd, tell Her Mommy says 'Hello.' before you two go out barhopping again."

"Will do." Mara answered with a smile. The beautiful blonde-haired demoness walked to the Door and reached out to open It.

"Thank you for your help and companionship, Mara-over /all/ this time. I /really/ do appreciate it.../thank you/." replied Hild in a thoroughly Heartfelt manner.

Overcome with emotion, Mara turned around, tears of gratitude fountaining down her cheeks, and knelt on one knee on the Floor before her Mistress. Bowing her head and closing her eyes, she sobbed in adoration, "You're /welcome/, Hild-Sama! Thank you in kind as well!"

Hild allowed Mara to pour out her innermost feelings unchecked for a few moments before adding with a playful verbal Smirk, "Now /shoo/ and be off with you-before I have to Use the Shop-Vac on the Floor again!"

Mara sprang to her feet in a blur of pseudomotion. She pressing her fist to one breast as a salute and declared, "Yes, Hild-Sama-/at once!/" Mara spun around on her heel, opened the Door, strode resolutely through the Doorway with confidence, and closed the Door behind her.

Hild Smiled and looked down at the assorted papers that covered her Desktop. Summoning a beautiful Fountain Pen into Her Hand, She returned to her Administrative Duties as Mistress of Her Domain. She thought back to the Happiest Moment She /ever/ had...and what happened afterwards...

()()()

/At an earlier time...in Hild's Bedchamber/

"Queen Hild, Your Aperture has reached maximum dilation and the Crown of Your Daughter's Head is now visible." explained the balding, black-haired demon doctor in a dry, emotionless monotone from his positon in front of Hild's Robed, supine Form reclined in Her special 'Throne Of Childbirth'. "Please bear down and continue to Push-"

Hild Gripped the armrests of Her 'Throne' tightly and Screamed In Pain as She /Pushed/. Thankfully, the Enchantment She placed on Herself before going into Labor limited the volume of the Sound She made to that a normal human being would be capable of. Next to Her, a demoness nurse blotted Sweat off of Hild's Forehead with a cool, damp, red and black washcloth. "Kami-Sama! /It hurts so much!/" She Cried in Pain, Her Eyes glistening with Tears.

"It's /supposed/ to. He Said so." The doctor replied in a smug, knowing tone. "I offered you an epidural to blot out most of the pain, and You refused it. You passed on having an 'underwater childbirth'-a peculiar medical procedure among humans that is said to minimize pain to the mother undergoing childbirth. Better yet, You could just Wish most of the Pain away-yet You Decided not to."

Hild gritted Her Teeth, Bit down another Cry of Pain, and Pushed again. She felt Her Daughter slowly Pass From Her Cathedral Of Conception, slide through Her Causeway Of Intimacy, and emerge bit by bit from the parted Gates to Her Secret Treasure, toward the waiting arms of the doctor. Hild paused from Her Effort, Panting for Breath. With Fiery Resolve, She Explained, "I /want/ to Remember the Experience of Pain and Sorrow of the Birth of My First Child.../Forever!/ My Daughter is /all/ I have left as Proof I was once /His/ Mate."

The doctor paused to muse on that bit of Information for a moment or two. Hild's Daughter emerged from Her Mother's Body a bit faster. The doctor leaned in carefully to catch the Infant in a soft red and black towel. He smiled-unusual for his normal demeanor. "Good news, Queen Hild. Your Daughter is almost Born-one more Push ought to do it."

Smiling through the Agony, Hild Pushed one last time and Delivered Her Newborn Daughter into the Underworld. Hild Blew a triumphant Sigh of Relief and sank back into Her 'Throne'-Delivered from the rigor of Childbirth. The Infant Girl's Cries filled the air as the doctor prepared and presented Her to Her Mother. Hild Looked down at her Newborn Daughter cradled in Her Arms with a Smile of Relief and Thanksgiving. "/Urd/...I Name Thee Urd...Princess Of Nifelheim." She Glanced at the nurse then Looked at the doctor as he stood up and cleaned himself off.

"Congratulations, Queen Hild. You are now the Mother of a Newborn Baby Girl who appears normal and healthy in every way that I can see." the doctor saluted with a bit of a smile. He gathered his things together in order to leave. "Please keep in Mind that I'm a doctor, not a fileclerk." he intoned brusquely, "However, I will /personally/ enter Urd's Birth Certificate into the DCS /myself/ as You tolerate incompetence and failure /even less/ than that tall fellow dressed in that ominous, scary-sounding black suit of life-sustaining armor he once wore...before he changed his ways at the end of his days...Anyway, Kami-Sama should find out that He is a Proud Papa soon afterward thanks to the Link the DCS has with the WTCS in the Overworld."

Hild nodded Her Head and Pronouced in a gentle, yet regal Tone, "Indeed...Now leave-.../Please/ leave Us so that I may Bond with Urd and Nurse Her in private."

As the nurse stepped to the doctor's side, they both bowed slightly toward Hild, turned around and left through the Door to Hild's Bedchamber. The doctor closed the Door back.

Hild Cradled Urd with one Arm and used Her other Hand to pull aside Her red and black Robe-exposing a large, tan, round, firm Container Of Milk. Hild carefully positioned Urd's tiny Mouth next to the Spigot-touching It to Her Lips. "Urd, My Little Princess, This is your /very first/ Meal after Your Grand Entrance into the Underworld from within Me.../Now...Feast to Your Heart's content!/" Cooed Hild adoringly.

At that, Urd began to Suckle vigorously-filling Her tiny Belly with Her Mother's thaumatugically enhanced Lactose...

Hild Wept with Joy as She felt Her Sustiance and Her Power flow out of Her and into Her Newborn Daughter's Body. "Thank you, Kami-Sama, for this Final, Precious Gift of Our Relationship..." She Murmurred in Thanksgiving.

()()()

As Time Passed, Hild Watched Urd Grow from an Infant to a Toddler. She was well Pleased to See Her Daughter's Powers appear and Grow as well. The exiled Queen spent every moment possible to prepare Her Daughter to succeed her as Ruler of the Underworld when the time came...all while performing Her normal Duties as Queen of Her Realm.../in addition to/ protecting Her Daughter and Herself from Foul Play from those who would overthrow Her Rule as Queen Of Nifelheim...

Over time, this multiple Burden taxed Hild to Her very Limit of Her Being. Borne of Desparation and utter, overwhelming Concern for Urd's Well-Being, Hild Decided to pay a Visit to the Child's Father...

(X)

/At the Tree...In the Overworld/

"Hild, Where do You come from?" asked Kami-Sama, Stepping from behind the Treetrunk.

"From the Underworld." replied Hild. She tried to keep a neutral impassive Look on Her Face but her Eyes betrayed her Innermost Feelings.

"Why are You Here?" He added Inquisitively, a gentle Smile on His Face.

"To bring You a Gift." She Replied with a hint of Sadness in Her Voice.

"What is this Gift You have brought Me?" He Prompted.

Reluctantly, Hild stepped forward, Hand in Hand with Her Daughter. Prompted by the gentle tug on Her Arm, Urd followed along next to Her Mother.

Kami-Sama walked out to Meet with Hild and the Child She brought with Her.

"Mommy, who is this Man?" asked Urd, Looking Up at Hild.

Hild Knelt down and Looked into Her Daughter's Eyes. "This is Your Father, Kami-Sama. I brought You Here to stay with Him for now...until You Grow Up."

"/Why?/" protested Urd. "I want to stay with /You!/"

"I /know/, Urd...Believe Me.../I know.../" Hild replied Somberly, fighting down the urge to break down in Tears in front of Urd and Her Father. "However, it is now no longer /safe/ for you to stay with Me. You are /too young and vulnerable/ to be able to defend yourself There if you are not by My Side at /all/ times.../I Love you too much/ to risk something /bad/ to happen to you any longer." Hild then looked up to Kami-Sama with Hope and Expectantcy. "You are My Daughter's /only/ hope, Dear Kami-Sama...Will You Take Custody of Her...until She Grows Up?"

"/That/...is for young Urd to decide..." Kami-Sama replied sagely.

"Mommy, what does that mean?" asked Urd hesitantly.

"You /must/ decide either to stay here with Your Father...or return with Me to the Underworld."

Urd Frowned in Concentration for a moment. "Will You be /sadder/ than You are now if I go back with You?"

Tears welled up in Hild's Eyes and began to drip down Her Cheeks. "Yes, I will, Urd-chan, and Mommy /dearly wants/ to avoid that from happening!"

With calm, resolutenes, Urd made Her decision. "I want you to be /Happy/, Mommy, so I will stay with Father like You want Me to."

Hild Clutched Urd tightly to Herself. "/Thank you, Urd, my Little Princess!/...Oh, thank you for making Queen Mommy /Extremely Happy!/" Hild Sobbed adoringly.

"It has now been /decided/." Kami-Sama pronounced, holding out His Hand to Urd.

Hild relaxed Her Embrace of Urd, allowing Her Daughter to turn, reach out, take hold of Her Father by His Hand, and be Drawn from Her Grasp-to be Led away by Him. She silently Watched both Father and Daughter walk back to the Treetrunk and step behind It-disappering from View...

()()()

/In a hallway somewhere in the Overworld.../

A Father and His Daughter were Walking Hand in Hand...

Urd Looked up at Her Father. "Father, where are we going?" She Asked.

Kami-Sama Looked down at His Daughter and Smiled. "We are going to meet the rest of Your Family Here, Urd...You need not be formal with Me when with Family in private...'Papa-Sama' will do nicely."

"All, right...Papa-Sama." Urd answered with a bit of a Smile. She /Liked/ the sound of that Title for Her Father. It gave Her a sense of Comfort, Belonging...and Security.

The Two Deities stopped in front of a Door. Kami-Sama politely Knocked on It three times.

"Please, do come in." came the sound of a pleasant Feminine Voice through the Door as if it weren't there.

Kami-Sama let go of Urd's Hand. "Go ahead, Urd, open the Door." He Prompted gently.

Urd paused, then reached up with both Hands to Grasp the Doorknob and turn it. She Pushed against the Door, causing it to swing inward-revealing the inside of a Bedchamber.

At the back of the Bedchamber, a beautiful Woman was sitting up in Her Bed attired in a pretty Nightgown colored white, blue, and gold. A Baby swadled in a small, similarly colored Blanket was cradled in Her Arms.

The Woman Beamed with utter Happiness. "Hello, Dear Husband.../Oh My!/...Who is this /adorable/ little Girl with You?"

Kami-Sama walked into the Room toward the Bed with Urd following close behind Him. "This is My Daughter Urd...Her Mother is Hild."

The Woman paused for a moment, then looked at Urd with utter Kindness and Sincerity. "Urd, I am Verthandi...I am Your Stepmother...and this is Belldandy, Your Newborn Half-Sister."

For a moment, Urd stared blankly at Verthandi. "Stepmother?...Half-Sister?..." She repeated in a puzzled Tone.

"These are Terms that bind Us together by Fate in the absence of direct Blood Ties to Each Other." Verthandi replied with a hint of Sadness. "But Fear not, Urd. I /Promise/ to Love You as much as your Parents Hild and Kami-Sama do. /Please/ Love Belldandy and Me as much as You Love Your Parents..."

Urd paused in deep, solemn Contemplation. "All right.../Mama-Sama/." She replied lovingly with a bit of a Smile.

At that, Tears of Happiness and Joy Streamed down Verthandi's Face. "Thank you, Dearest Urd-Chan." She Sobbed delicately as She reached out toward Urd.

Kami-Sama then gently picked up His Daughter with Both Hands at Her Waist and placed Her on the Bed at His Wife's Side.

A moment later, Verthandi Wrapped Her Arm around Urd and Hugged Her softly to Herself. "Thank you, Dearest Urd-Chan, /for loving Us Both/.../Please/...introduce Yourself to Belldandy." She prompted adoringly.

Verthandi and Kami-Sama watched Happily as Urd began to Bond with Belldandy...

()()()

/In the Underworld...In Hild's Bedchamber.../

Grief...Sorrow...and Want Flooded Hild's Entire Being. She was Sprawled prone on Her Bed-Her Face buried in a pillow She Clutched within Her Arms. Her loss of Her Daughter Urd poured out from the inermost Depths of Her Heart in muffled, raging torrents of anguished Cries of Regret and Lament. Her Spirit sank in an unrecoverable tailspin-

-When a series of three knocks sounded at the Door to Her Room. "Mistress Hild-Sama..." called a muffled masculine voice through the Door.

Hild snapped Her Head up from the pillow. "Welsper, is that you?" She called.

"Yes, Mistress Hild-Sama." came the reply through the Door.

"Just a moment." Hild answered. Releasing the pillow, She paused to compose herself-setting aside the frailty of Her Motherhood. Standing up, She Sniffled once then comported Herself to the fullest in Her Station of Her Existence: The Daimakaicho Queen Of The Underworld. She Strode confidently to the Door and opened it. Standing just beyond the doorway was her most trusted demon advisor. "Welsper, how much did you hear just now?" She asked in a grave, ominous Tone.

Welsper gave his Queen a thin smile. "If I said I heard nothing, Mistress Hild-Sama, You would /instantly/ Anihillate me where I stand without so much as a second Thought."

Hild's regal fascade cracked a bit-exposing Her true Feelings in that moment. "Quite right, Welsper. You are /truly/ my most trusted advisor." She complimented with a Smile.

"Thank You for Your Trust in me, Mistress Hild-Sama...I am /truly/ sorry that Urd is no longer with You-as You no doubt are-but You did what was the best for Her...and for You." Welsper explained respectfully. "Please, do not let that decision weaken Your Resolve...but instead /strengthen/ It...as You continue onward as The Daimakaicho...Queen and Leader of all Your followers Here in the Underworld..."

Hild Reached out and clasped Welsper's hands into Her Own and looked directly into his eyes. "Welsper...thank you /very much/ for your wisdom, guidance, and understanding...I appreciate it.../very much/."

Welsper smiled back at Hild. "You are /most/ welcome, Mistress Hild-Sama."

Hild released Welsper's hands and closed the Door to Her Bedchamber. "Come Welsper...the Affairs Of State await and require My Attention." She Anounced in a thoroughly regal Tone, Walking off down the Hallway.

Welsper fell into step by Her Side. "The first matter of State today is a minor one that started out beneath Your Notice but managed to escalate itself up to It...I am /thoroughly embarrased/ to even bring this matter to Your Attention but I /must/."

Hild Smiled impishly at Welsper. She /loved/ to see him squirm on the rare occasions when a problem came up that he couldn't solve without Her Help, Permission, or Authority. "What is it, Welsper? You /are/ my most trusted advisor for a reason after all." She added Playfully with a Smirk.

Welsper blushed a bit, deeply honored by what Hild just said to him. "/It's such a triffle/, Mistress Hild-Sama...The newly constructed mass eatery Here needs a name and nobody can agree on what to name it."

"Really? What kind of eatery is it?" Asked Hild with a bit of exuberant Eagerness.

"Basically all you can eat of anything you can eat that is available there. It is about the size of The Great Hall...Most of the subjects in Nifelheim could dine there at one sitting." Welsper elaborated.

Hild and Welsper stopped in the T-intersection of a cross-hallway. Hild clasped Her Chin, deep in Thought.

A few moments later, The Daimakaicho Snapped Her Fingers. "I've got it, Welsper...Name the eatery 'Nifelheim Realm Buffet'."

Welsper bowed fractionally toward Hild. "As you wish, Mistress Hild-Sama. I will go forth and make it so at Your Behest." he pronounced.

"Thank you, Welsper. If you need Me, I'll be in My Office for the Time being." Hild acknowledged.

Hild and Welsper then split up and walked off to return to their respective duties...

()()()

/Later...In Kami-Sama's Office.../

/Knocknock/.

"Come in." Kami-Sama said, Looking up from His Desktop Workstation at the Door.

The Door opened and in walked a beautiful Woman leading a group of Young Children into His Office.

"Welcome, Verthandi...Lind, Peorth, Ere, Ex...and Urd." Greeted Kami-Sama warmly with a Smile. He turned in His Chair to face His Guests.

"I decided to take My Kindergarten Class on a field trip around Heaven to see various People at Work." explained Verthandi, beaming. "Your Office was our /last/ stop."

"Urd, have you been a good little Girl in class?" asked Kami-sama dotingly.

"I /sure/ have, Papa-Sama." Urd replied with a Smile. "It's /impossible/ to be Naughty when My Stepmom is My Teacher." She added a bit Sheepishly, rubbing the back of Her Head.

"So, Girls, have You All decided what You want to be when You Grow Up?" asked Kami-sama expectantly.

Lind held Her Fist up with Determination. "I want to join Queen Freya's Armed Forces and become a Valkyrie!" She declared exuberantly.

"I want to work with the World Tree Computer System...It looks like it will be a challenge as well as /fun/." said Peorth demurely.

"So do I." added Ere.

"And Me too as well!" put in Ex eagerly.

"And I also." began Urd. "That Job looks like it will need the help of as many dedicated People as possible."

Kami-Sama nodded with Contemplation and Understanding. "Verthandi, Please wait with the rest of the Class in the Hallway. I want to Speak with Urd alone for a little while before you all Leave together."

Verthandi Bowed slightly. "As you wish, Dear Husband." She Led the other Children out of Kami-Sama's Office and closed the Door back.

"/Urd/...are you Happy here in my Kingdom in the Overworld?" asked Kami-Sama gently.

"/Yes/, Papa-Sama, I am. But I miss Mommy-Sama." replied Urd bittersweetly.

"Come over here, Urd, I want to Show you something."

Urd walked over to Her Father's Side. "What is it, Papa-Sama?"

Kami-Sama Pointed at the Workstation Screen, drawing Urd's Attention to It. "This is the Computerized Interface to the World Tree Of Creation, making it easier to Use-I call It 'KAMIX'."

Urd Smiled broadly. "A nice, clever Name, Papa-Sama."

Kami-Sama Smiled as well. "It seemed obvious to Me to name It that. Right now, It doesn't look like much but It is /very/ powerful in spite of Its simple, /character/ Interface. As I have Time, I am Adding /graphics/ and multidimensional navigational input to It to make It /even easier/ to Use."

"/Wow!/" breathed Urd in Awe and Amazement looking closely at the Screen.

At that moment, Kami-Sama began to Type at the Workstation's Keyboard. New Information Scrolled into View on the Screen...

oo: SYSLOAD

WTCS 1.000

DCS 1.000

oo: _

"What does that mean?" asked Urd.

Kami-Sama explained at length. "Urd, there are Two Computerized Interfaces to the World Tree Of Creation. One of them is the World Tree Computer System. It is located with Us Here in the Overworld. The Other One is the Daimakaicho Computer System. It is located in the Underworld where Your Mother Hild, the Daimakaicho Queen Of Nifelheim, Is. Your Mother and I Use Both Systems which are Linked Together to Help Us Manage the affairs of Both Our Domains Of Rulership. However, the Affairs Of State Occupy Her /Full/ Attention as They Do Mine-a Burden that constantly Weighs Her down and keeps Her slightly Unhappy /all/ the Time. For Your Sake, and to Reward Her for Leaving You with Me for Safekeeping, I /will/ now Ease Her Burden...

oo: SYSLOAD WTCS +0.001

WTCS 1.001

DCS 0.999

oo: _

"What will that do?" asked Urd, puzzled.

A Bead Of Sweat Appeared on Kami-Sama's Forehead. "You shall See in due Time, Urd. Now go and rejoin the Others, They are Waiting for You in the Hallway."

"Yes, Papa-Sama." Urd left Her Father's Side and Walked to the Door. She Turned around and added. "Thank You for Helping Mommy-Sama." Urd turned, opened the Door, and walked through to Join the Others, closing the Door Back.

"You are /most/ Welcome...Urd, My Dear Daughter..." Kami-Sama Pronounced with a Smile. A Handkerchief Appeard In His Hand. He Blotted the Sweatdrop away. A few Moments Later, He Had to Repeat the Process. He Smiled to Himself. In Time, His Stamina would Rise to properly Bear the extra Load Transferred from the DCS to the WTCS and He wouldn't need to Blot Sweat anymore...

(X)

/Meanwhile...in Hild's Office in the Underworld.../

"...For now, that is all, Welsper." dismissed Hild with a tired Smile, seated at Her Desk. Her Hands clasped together on the Desktop.

Welsper noded. "Yes, Hild-Sama." the demon left the presence of his Mistress. Welsper closed the Door to Hild's Office after he had walked through the Doorway and sauntered off elsewhere-leaving the Daimakaicho alone with Her Thoughts...

Weary from Her Activities, Hild Sighed and leanded forward to Rest Her Head on Her crossed Arms on Her Desk. She used a bit of Her Power to Ward Her Office against any intrusion while She Rested as best She could...

()()()

"Wake up, Sleepyhead!" called a young girl's voice.

Hild snapped up Her Head in Surprise. She was momentarily Speechless! "Who /are/ you! How did you get past My Wards to /be/ Here?!" She saw a young girl who looked like a child version of Her stand in front of Her Desk.

The girl smiled at Hild in a sly, knowing fashion. "Silly Goose!...I'm /You!/" She declared triumphantly.

Hild was Flustered and Puzzled-a State She virtually was /never/ in! "How...how is that /possible!/...How could I be in the proverbial 'two places at once' like this?"

"See for Yourself." promped the Girl invitingly.

Hild paused, then turned to Her Desktop Workstation and began to Type...

xx: BURDEN

DCS 0.999

WTCS 1.001

xx: _

Hild's Hands slid from the Keyboard as She sank back into Her Chair. She closed Her Eyes. "Thank You...Kami-Sama." She breathed in quiet Thanksgiving.

"Indeed. He gave You a little Breathing Room so You could have some /desparately/ needed Offpeak Time available for You to Use /anytime/ You want. I was Created as a result of His Action to Help You Cope with Your Loss."

Hild Thought for a moment and paused. She Opened Her Eyes again. "Urd." She Murmurred, looking at the Girl.

"Think of Me as the Daughter You once had while She is away with Her Father." offered the Girl with a Smile.

Hild Frowned in Contemplation. "You are a Plaything...This doesn't seem right...Even to /Me/."

"Hild-Sama," addressed the Girl solemnly before explaining at length, "I am /more/ than a lifeless doll or even a more sophisticated golem who is functionally the same thing-an entity controlled and manipulated like some puppet. I am /none/ of those things, Hild-Sama...I am /You/...in /All/ of Your Fullness Of Being...in a Scale Factor of one part in a thousand."

Hild paused in silent, rapt Contemplation for a few moments. She then stood up, Walked over to the Girl, and Knelt down on one Knee to Hug the Child to Herself. "Welcome Home, Chibi-Hild." Hild Annouced warmly.

()()()

/Some time later...in the infirmary/

Proped up with pillows in a bed, Hild looked down at the small, vulnerable, crying infant demoness cradled in Her Arm. In Her other Hand, She Held a small open vial of whitish liquid. "/Please/...let this work, Kami-Sama." She called out softly, closing Her Eyes and Drinking down the liquid. A few moments later, She felt Her Body Change in the Areas She needed the most for the task at hand. Dispelling the vial, Hild pulled aside Her Robe with her other Hand and carefully presented Herself to the baby as She had done with Her Daughter Urd in the past after She was Born...

The Daimakaicho was not Disappointed...

The baby stopped crying and began to suckle from her Foster Mother-slowly at first but picked up speed to nurse from Hild almost as fast as Urd did.

Hild Smiled down Happily at the baby as She felt Milk and Magic flow from Her to the baby's body as it did in the past with Urd. Tears of Joy and Relief streamed down the Daimakaicho's Face. "Thank you, Mara, for accepting Me as your Foster Mother."

()()()

/Earlier...in another part of the infirmary.../

Standing to one side, Hild looked at a crib next to a bed. The crib contained a crying baby demoness that was hungry and lonely. Next to her crib was her mother's lifeless body in the bed, covered over with a black and red sheet.

The doctor stood next to Hild. "The mother died not long after childbirth. She named the child Mara. For some reason I /cannot/ explain, I had the presence of mind to collect some of her milk with an apparatus I had at hand before she died. All I was able to obtain was enough to fill a small vial." he explained somberly at length.

"What of the father?" Hild asked tersely.

"Dead. Killed in a recent skirmish with forces from the Overworld." the doctor replied succintly.

"So, Mara is an orphan." Hild concluded.

"True...But likely for not much longer. She is reaching the limit of the window of Time available to Bond with her mother-an impossibility now." the doctor noted, crestfallen.

Hild closed Her Eyes and /shifted/ her Attire into a black and red Robe. "Not if I can Help it." She countered, opening Her Eyes. They burned bright with the fire of Determination and Purpose befitting Hild's Station as Queen Of Her Domain. She stepped over to an empty, adjacent bed, climbed into it under the covers, and summoned several pillows to form a Backrest for Herself to Recline against. "Mara will /live/ as My Foster Daughter...or /die/ in the Arms of her Queen who Loved her in her hour of need." Proclaimed Hild resolutely.

The doctor placed Mara, swaddled in a small red and black blanket, in Hild's Arms. A moment later, he opened the vial and carefully gave it to Hild to hold in one Hand. "You are about to do something that has not been done before, my Queen. I hope You are successful and Mara lives." the doctor then turned and left the infirmary...

()()()

/Later...Hild held Court to make an Announcement.../

Hild stood at the front of the Great Hall Of Nifelheim on a raised platform that bore Her ornate, Throne Of State. Next to Her stood Mara, hand in hand with her Foster Mother. Mara was now a toddler sporting a toussled mop of radiant blonde hair on her head.

Enchanting Her Voice to raise Its Volume, Hild made Her Proclamation to those before Her in attendance, "I Hereby Present to you Mara, My Foster Daughter. Though she is not in line for the Throne, she /is/ under /My Direct Protection/. You are /all/ to treat her as you would Princess Urd who is now in the Overworld with Her Father.../Kami-Sama/. I Hereby Declare Mara and Myself /off limits/ from the usual Court Intrigue that goes on Here until Mara Grows Up and she is able to properly defend herself..." Power then filled Hild's Eyes, transforming Them into solid, shining amesthyst Suns. Small bolts of violet lightning crackling around Them, forming a Domino Mask on Hild's Face-an outward sign of Hild's demonstration of Her Authority to the others under Her Rule. "Do /I/ make Myself /Understood?/"

"Yes, Queen Hild-Sama!" exclaimed everyone else in the Great Hall in unison in a loud voice of affirmation, a large drop of sweat at the back of each of /all/ their heads...

()()()

/Later...In Hild's Bedchamber.../

The Daimakaicho lovingly tucked Her foster daughter into the small bed adjacent to Her Own. "/Mara/...I have a /very/ important bedtime story to tell you so pay /close/ attention."

"All right, Mama-Sama." Mara replied, looking up into the Eyes of her Foster Mother.

Hild paused, Smiled back at Mara, then began to tell Mara Her Story...

()()()

/Earlier...In Hild's Bedchamber.../

Hild lovingly tucked Her Daughter into the small bed next to Her Own. "/Urd/...I have something /very/ important to tell you so pay /close/ attention."

"As You wish, Mommy-Sama." Urd replied reverently, Looking up into the Eyes of Her Mother.

"Do You remember earlier today when I presented You to all of My subjects in the Great Hall?" Hild asked.

Urd's Eyes Sparkled with Awe and Wonder. "Yes, I do.../Wow/, everyone there was /sure/ scared of You at the end before You Dismissed them and they left the Hall."

"There is a reason for that, Urd. I Promised them I would Unleash My Full Anger and Rage against them should they do /anything/ to harm You." Hild replied solemnly.

"/Promise?/...What is /that?/" Urd asked, puzzled.

"A promise is where you say you will do a certain thing. If you don't, then you are willing to allow /bad things/ to happen to you for not doing what you said you would do." Hild explained.

"Oh, I see..." Urd replied with a bit of a frown.

"Don't be sad, Urd, My Little Princess...A promise can be a /good/ thing. I'll prove it to you. I want to make a Promise with You in a way that We Both will always Remember." Hild continued, Smiling.

"How?" Urd asked eagerly.

"A /Pinkie Swear/." Hild replied in a manner to instil awe and amazement in Urd.

"What is that?" Urd added inquisitively.

"I'll show you, Urd...Mommy Loves You /so/ much She will do /anything/ it takes to keep You safe from harm. As proof of this, let Us hook Our pinkie Fingers together and tug Them appart so We Both will Remember this Promise Between Us.../Forever/." Hild Pronounced, holding up the pinkie Finger of Her Right Hand in front of Urd.

Urd reached up and curled the pinkie Finger of Her Right Hand around Her Mother's proffered Digit. Mother and Daughter tugged their Fingers apart, causing a momentary change to their Countennances.

"/Wow!/...thank You, Mommy-Sama!" Urd exclaimed with a Smile, lowering Her Arm to the bed.

"You're welcome, Urd, My Little Princess." Hild replied Happily, Kissing Her Daughter on the Forehead. "Get some sleep now. We have a long day of activities to attend to tomorrow."

A moment later, Urd Yawned and quickly fell Asleep.

Hild Smiled down at Urd then walked over to Her Bed. With a Thought, She shifted into a red and black Nightgown and climbed into Her Bed and pulled the covers over Her. Turning onto Her Side, She Smiled as She Watched Urd Sleeping for as long as She could before She Herself fell Asleep...

()()()

"That was an /incredible/ story, Mama-sama!" Mara exclaimed joyously.

"Mara, though you are My Foster Daughter, I Love you /just as much/ as I do Urd. The promise I made to Urd then I now offer to you..." Hild Pronounced lovingly, holding up the pinkie Finger of Her Right Hand...

Mara paused in awe and wonder, then reached up and curled the pinkie finger of her right hand around her Foster Mother's extended Digit. Foster Mother and foster daughter tugged their fingers apart, causing their countennances to change for a moment.

"/Wow!/...thank You very much, Mama-Sama!" Mara exclaimed, lowering her arm to the bed.

"You're quite welcome, Mara." Hild replied Happily, Kissing Her foster daughter on the forehead. "Time to sleep now, Mara. We have a /busy/ day tomorrow."

Within a moment, Mara yawned and within moments was fast asleep.

Hild Grinned down at Mara then sauntered over to Her Bed. With a Thought, She shifted into her red and black Nightgown and got into Her Bed and covered Herself up. Rolling onto Her Side, She Smiled as She Watched Mara sleeping for as long as She was able to before She Herself fell Asleep...

()()()

/Inside Hild's Office.../

Seated at Hild's Desk, Chibi-Hild peered intently at the Display Monitor of Hild's Desktop Workstation. "Oh /poo/, this Thing doesn't have any games on it to play with, Welsper." She Grumbled with a Pout.

"An unfortunate oversight, Chibi-Hild-Sama." Welsper replied with a bit of a sigh, seated in a chair in front of Hild's Desk. Before Hild retired to Her Bedchamber, She Ordered him to keep watch over Nifelheim along with Her Avatar in Her Office while She and Mara slept.

Chibi-Hild Typed for a few moments and Pressed the ENTER key. "According to the surveillance daemons, all is well Here in Nifelheim for the time being...Welsper, I'm /bored/...what can I can do to pass the Time until Hild wakes up and takes over?"

Welsper smiled. "Before Hild turned in for the night, She gave me a few things to give to You to help pass the Time."

Chibi-Hild's Eyes sparkled with Inquisitivenes. "So what did She give you to give to Me?" She asked eagerly.

Welsper stood up, stepped over to Hild's Desk, and placed two objects on It in front of Chibi-Hild. "This is a coloring book. It is a bound volume of line drawings and other activity-oriented imagery for You to interact with by way of the crayons. You use the box of crayons to add color to the line drawings any way You wish and to help You complete assorted tasks interspersed between them."

Chibi-Hild pulled the coloring book in front of Her and looked at the cover. "Looks like fun...Thank you, Welsper."

"You're welcome, Mistress Chibi-Hild-Sama." Welsper replied. He smiled back at the Queen's Avatar and sat back down again. He found his young Mistress to be absolutely /adorable/ in the way She eagerly used the crayons in Her coloring book. From time to time, She would pause long enough to use Hild's Workstation to check on the situational status of the Underworld then return back to Her coloring.

The sight of Chibi-Hild busying Herself with Her coloring book while watching over Nifelheim with Hild's Workstation pleased Welsper, causing him to beam at Her. /Babysitting is not so bad at all under the right circumstances.../

(X) 2. Groups (X)

/Later, At the Tree...In the Overworld.../

Kami-Sama, His Wife Verthandi, and Their three Children, Urd, Belldandy, and Skuld were enjoying a Family Outing beneath the Tree. Urd and Belldandy were Playing Together off by the Riverbank-thus giving Their Mother Verthandi Time and Space to discreetly Nurse Their Baby Sister Skuld under the watchful Eye of Their Father, Kami-Sama.

Verthandi Beamed with the radiant Glow of Motherhood as She felt Her Essence and Nourishment trickle out of Her and into Skuld as She Nursed Her Infant Daughter. "Thank you, Dear Husband, for Giving Me three Daughters to Love and Nurture." She Looked down at Skuld in Her Arms then out at Urd and Belldandy.

"You are /most/ welcome, Dear Wife." Kami-Sama Replied-a tiny bit of Weariness in His Voice.

"Something is Troubling You, Dear Husband." Verthandi Noted gently. "/Please/ tell Me what It is...perhaps I can Help You."

Kami-Sama Smiled. "Thank you for your Kindess and Concern, Dear Wife...Lately, there has been a tiny increase in the scattered fights that occur between the forces of the Overworld and Underworld."

"Oh /My!/" Verthandi gasped delicately, "Is there /anything/ You can Do to Stop It?"

Kami-Sama sighed. "I /could/...but it would deprive Urd of the Chance to Reunite with Hild."

Verthandi thought for a moment. "Then it appears You must Fortify Our Defenses...perhaps that will help the best for the Time being."

Kami-Sama Smiled at Verthandi. "A /wise/ decision, Dear Wife.../However/...One day Our Daughters may have to become part of that Defense...for the Good, Safety, and Future of the Overworld." He Looked out to where Urd and Belldandy were.

Verthandi's Gaze joined Kami-Sama's. "...Understood, Dear Husband." She Replied wistfully.

()()()

/At the Riverbank.../

Urd and Her younger Half-Sister Belldandy Sat on the Grass of the Riverbank Watching the Waters of the River Flow past Them Both.

"Urd...do You /miss/ Your Mommy...Hild?" Belldandy asked tentatively.

Urd Sighed. "I do.../a lot/." She replied with a bit of Sadness, "But Verthandi is /extremely/ nice to Me...I am /glad/ She is My Stepmother...She Loves Me as much as She does Skuld and You, Belldandy..." Changing the subject, She added, "So...how did you do on Your Computer Programming Test Today?"

Belldandy Blushed in Embarassment and Rubbed the back of Her Head. "Oh /My!/ Not so good...I /barely/ passed. Telling the World Tree Computer System what to do is /tougher/ than it looks!"

"And I barely passed My Sysadmin Test as well...Indeed, overseeing the operation of the WTCS is /quite/ a Handful." Urd Replied with a Frown. She then looked at Belldandy Intently. "/Belldandy/...maybe We can Work together to Improve Our Skills so We will be better Ready for Our next Test." Standing up, She added. "Let's head back and get started."

Belldandy Stood up and Beamed at Urd. "All right, Big Sister Urd, please lead the way."

Urd Reached over to Grasp Belldandy's Hand. Hand in Hand, both Sisters walked back to the Tree where Their Baby Sister Skuld and Their Parents Verthandi and Kami-Sama were...

(X) 3. Plait (X)

/Later...inside Skuld's Room in the Overworld.../

Urd, Beldandy, and Skuld were lined up in front of three identical amusement devices playing them. They stood over a group of small holes in the base of each device. In Their Hands They held a rather large red and white padded mallet attached by a length of cable to the base of the device. At random intervals, an object that looked like a cute white furry creature with large eyes, long ears, two buck teeth, and eight spindly, folded legs would pop up from one the holes for an instant of Time. High pitched, sped-up laughter would pour forth from two speakers mounted on either side of the digital scoreboard mounted above the base of each device. When a creature was hit back into their hole with the mallet, a /pop/ sounded and the scoreboard would tally the event and increase the score shown on the display by a number of points. The game started out with the creatures darting up and down in their holes slowly but they increased speed rapidly until they seemed to appear in all the holes at once! The three Sisters Pounded the creatures back into their holes as best They could until a buzzer sounded signaling the end of the game. Exhausted, the three Girls collapsed backward onto the Floor on Their Hands and Bottoms Breathing heavily with broad Grins on Their Faces.

Skuld looked up at the final score of the game on the three displays. "All right! I won again! I'm sure to become a World Tree Computer System Debugger someday!" She Chortled victoriously.

"Oh /My/, Skuld, You /sure/ are good at Whack-A-Bug!" Belldandy Complimented, Beaming at Her youngest Sister.

Urd Looked at the final score and Shook Her Head in Disbelief. "How do You Do it, Squirt? Belldandy and I can /barely/ keep up with You."

"Big Sister Urd, please /stop/ calling me that!" Skuld Shrieked, on the verge of Tears.

"Yes, Urd-san, please don't be mean to little Skuld-chan." Added Belldandy in a firm Tone of Displeasure.

Urd Frowned, Bowed Her Head, and Apologized. "I'm sorry Skuld. It is a term of Loving Endearment I have for You. I'm three times Your Age and a bit older than Belldandy now...Maybe someday calling You that won't Bother You as much...Until then, I will /try/ not to Call You that as much as possible." Urd leaned over and gave Skuld a warm, Loving Hug.

Skuld closed Her Eyes and Smiled-Comforted by Urd's embrace. "Thank You, Urd-Sama. Thank You and Belldandy-San for helping Me Build the Whack-A-Bug games so We can have fun Together."

Urd grew Misty Eyed. She gently Squeezed Skuld tightly and Kissed Her on the Forehead. "I love You and Belldandy /so/ much! Thank You Both for allowing Me to be a part of Your Family."

Skuld Frowned. "Baka! Of /course/ You're Family! Kami-Sama is Our Father, after all!" She Scolded.

Urd Smiled at Skuld and Ruffled the Hair on top of Her Youngest Sister's Head with one Hand. "Right you are...Skuld-Chan."

"Oh, Skuld," Belldandy Interjected. "You Said You had something You wanted to Show Urd and Me?"

Skuld Perked up in Urd's embrace. "That's right! /Come/...step over to my Lab Area." She Prompted.

The three Girls Stood up and Walked over to a nearby Workbench piled with all sorts of Tools and (partially) Assembled Gadgetry. Skuld Sat down on a Stool in front of the Workbench and Patted a small, box-shaped Device. Next to it, was a larger box-shaped Device connected to the first by a series of Cables.

"What is this, Skuld." Belldandy Asked.

"I call it.../television/." answered Skuld, turning a knob on the front of the first box. After a few moments, a jumble of black and white dots came into view-accompanied by the sound of an unpleasant hissing noise.

"Doesn't look and sound like much." Urd Mused, Frowning.

"Hold on, I have to turn on the playback of the video cassette recorder." Added Skuld, pressing a button on the second box.

A few seconds later, the Three Sisters appeared playing Whack-A-Bug and enjoying Themselves.

Urd and Belldandy were briefly Mesmerized by what they saw.

Urd Peered closely and intently at what was displayed before Her. "Pretty good sound and picture...but not the same color at all times." She Appraised thoughtfully.

"I know, I'm working on making the picture quality better...maybe there is a better way to record sights and sounds for later use...I /just/ have to Discover a way how to do it." Skuld stated in a yearing Tone.

"How were you able to do this, Skuld?" Belldandy Asked inquisitively.

"With Peorth-San's help, I built and installed a special camera in My Room in the corner of the ceiling. It is attached by a length of Cable to the recorder. Whatever the camera sees and hears is transfered to the VCR to be recorded for later playback on a cassette whenever I want." Skuld explained at length, pressing a button on the VCR, causing the playback display on the TV to wink out. Skuld then pressed another button on the VCR and caused it to eject a rather large, flat, box-shaped object. Handing it to Urd for Her to Look over, Skuld continued, "These cassettes are /bulky!/ I wish I had went with the smaller form-factor cassetes and VCR unit-they had /slightly/ better sight and sound quality...Oh well...One day, maybe I will come up with audiovisual recording, storage, and playback technology that will /blow/ this crude junk I created out of the water!"

Belldandy stepped over to Skuld and clasped the Hands of Her Youngest Sister into Her Own. She Looked into Skuld's Eyes Intently. "Skuld...do /not/ despise the Days You have Spent to Accomplish these small, beginning Results...Someday...great Good /will/ come from Your Efforts...I believe in You...Urd believes in You...Please do not Give Up..." Belldandy Beamed at Skuld to Lift Her Spirit and Inspire Her onward toward greater Achievemnts.

Nodding solemnly in Assent, Urd placed the cassette on the Workbench near the TV.

Skuld gently pulled Her Hands out of Belldandy's Grasp-then Reached around Her Elder Sister to Hug Her. "Thank You for Your kind, Helpful Words, Belldandy-San!" Skuld exclaimed adoringly.

Belldandy Hugged Skuld in return. "You are /most/ welcome, Skuld-Chan." She replied happily.

Urd paused, a lump of emotion building in Her Throat which She Swallowed down. "Indeed." She amended solemnly. Urd Stepped forward and Reached around Skuld and Belldandy to Hug Them to Herself.

...And so were these three Sisters...Bound together by Fate...Bound together by Love...

(X) 4. Tasks (X)

/Later...Somewhere in the Overworld.../

Peorth lounged sideways in Her chair. She Sniffed the pleasant fragarance coming from a rose She Held in one Hand and Sighed. "/Ho hum/...just another uneventful Day as a sysadmin..."

Just then, Ere detected something out of the ordinary on Her console. "Ma'am, a DoS attack appears to be coming from exodimensional IP address 02_025_05_010"

"Confirmed..." Ex added, "All sorts of data is streaming into the Maintennance system login page from there."

Peorth Sat up in Her chair properly-placing the rose She Held on Her Lap. "Let's see the data..."

Ex Typed a bit. Data then scrolled by on the Big Board in front of the three Goddesses in a /massive/ blur of characters! Being a Goddess, Peorth was able to read it. "Shall we play a game?...Do you expect me to talk?.../correct horse battery staple/...My, my, my...Someone is being /very/ naughty Today...Ere, be a Dear and tweak the Firewall in front of the Maintennance System...Send that /refuse/ to the Bit Bucket where it /belongs/."

"Yes, Ma'am!" Ere replied attentively, Typing in the necessary commands into the console in front of Her.

"Other Peripheral Subsystems now coming under direct attack from other IPs! Ma'am...a DDoS attack against the WTCS appears to be under way!" alerted Ex.

"Keep it together, You Two. Quick...tweak the Firewalls while I Try to take out the comtrol system behind that first IP address." Peorth ordered, raising Her hands up before Her.

A Keyboard and Monitor...fashioned from Rays of Light...appeared under Peorth's Fingertips. The Rose Goddess set to Work to fight back at the attackers attacking the WTCS.

"Oh no! A buffer injection compromised one system!" Ere cried.

"Quick, cut the Exonet connection before the badware spreads further!" urged Ex.

Ere Typed hurriedly then pounded Her console with Her Fist in Disgust. "Too late! I'm locked out!"

"Fragment the Network at the Node Junction level to contain the compromised systems!" ordered Peorth, Typing away furiously. "/Hurry!/"

Ex Typed as quickly as She could-then gasped in alarm! "Kami-Sama! I can't keep up with it! The cybercontagion is growing and spreading at an exponential rate-/we'll never be able to stop it in time!/"

An alarm siren sounded as the room filled with ominous words spoken in a pleasant tone that were pre-recorded beforehand: "The WTCS has encountered an illegal exception and will be shut down in thirty seconds."

"/Blast!/...That's it then..." Peorth murmurred dejectedly. She then Performed Her Final Duty as Sysadmin of the WTCS and contacted Her Boss. "Kami-Sama...the WTCS has been overrun by badware and will /shut down!/...Condition Ragnarok!...I repeat again: Condition Ragnarok!...Please mobilize and deploy the Valkyries /immediately/ to defend the Overworld from imminent attack! I'm /deeply/ Sorry, Sir...We did Our Best and /Failed!/ Peorth out."

The Three Goddesses Slumped in Their chairs silently in utter defeat-Bowing Their Heads...

"The WTCS has encountered an illegal exception and will be shut down in five seconds..."

The alarm siren continued to blare loudly...

"All right, open it up." sounded a feminine Voice in a clear, no-nonsense tone.

The Big Board split in half and slid away to the left and right. A curvaceouse Figure stepped forward from the shadows and into the light and into the room as the alarm siren slowed down to a stop.

It was Urd, Norn Goddess Of The Past...She didn't look Pleased.../at all!/

Peorth raised Her Head and Smiled at Urd. "So how did I do, Urd? Any pointers for the next time when I am here in WTCS simulator?" asked The Rose Goddess.

"Hone Your combat skills, Peorth, Ere, and Ex...If this had been /for real/, Freya would have shown up within seconds and Hauled all Three Of You off to the front to Fight the Daimakaicho's forces on the Front Lines."

The Rose Goddess Smirked. "Dont be such a bitter Operator from Heaven, Urd." Peorth countered, "Hild wouldn't /dare/ launch a full-scale assault on the Overworld-it would be.../most unpleasant/ for All concerned."

Urd Looked directly into Peorth's Eyes. "If She has /nothing/ left to lose...She /will/ do it, Peorth." Replied the Norn Goddess Of The Past Gravely.

Peorth paused and Gulped! "I see Your point, Urd. I will Endeavor to do better next time." She stood up.

"As will I." promised Ere, standing up.

"Me too." added Ex, standing up.

Urd then Smiled at the others. "Good. Now We trade places, Peorth, and You can be the darkhat for the next WTCS Simulator run in two Earth-hours. Until then, let's all get lost and enjoy Ourselves."

Peorth, Ere, and Ex snapped to attention with a Smile and saluted Urd. "Yes, Ma'am!".

"Everyone.../dismissed/." Urd stated.

"C'mon Ex, lets go Window Shopping in the Mall Sector." suggested Ere.

"That sounds like fun, Ere." replied Ex.

"I suppose I will Tend to My Rose Plants in My Garden while I Dream up My plan of simulated Attack when We return, Urd." mused Peorth.

"You do that, Peorth. As for Me, I'll go Spin some Thread for awhile to Clear My Head and take My Mind off Things so I can start fresh in the simulator."

The Four Goddesses then Said Their goodbyes to Each Other then Strode out of the WTCS Simulation Room to Enjoy Their Time off before they returned to practice defending the Overworld from unwanted and hostile infiltration...

()()()

/Earlier...At the Door to Kami-Sama's Office.../

Urd stood Alone at the Door to Her Father's Office. He Instructed Her to wait for Her Sisters to Arrive before Entering. A few moments later, She Saw Belldandy Walk toward Her from down the Hallway. "Hello, Bell-Chan." Urd greeted with a Smile.

"Hello, Urd-San." Belldandy returned, Beaming.

"So...Papa-Sama Called You here like Me." Urd added.

"That He did." Belldandy began, "Whatever could it be for?"

"Urd-Sama, Bell-San." Skuld called out, Walking up to Her Elder Sisters from the other part of the Hallway. "Why are We here Together like this?"

"It is a matter of /great/ importance, My Daughters...Please enter..." Sounded a Voice clearly from behind the Door.

Urd Gulped, then Turned around to Face the Door. Seeing Belldandy and Skuld Facing the Door, She Reached out to take hold of the Doorknob and opened the Door inward. Skuld Walked in first. Belldandy Walked in behind Skuld a moment later. Urd walked in last and closed the Door behind Her.

()()()

Urd walked up to where Belldandy and Skuld were Standing in front of Kami-Sama's Desk. "Here We are, Papa-Sama..."

"You Called for Us?" asked Belldandy.

"What is it?" Skuld added with a bit of Worry.

"The conflict between The Overworld and The Underworld is begining to get out of hand." Kami-Sama replied. "I need Your Assistance to help bring things under better Control...My Daughters...will You Assist Me in this Task?"

Several silent moments of Solemn Contemplation passed...

As one, the three Sisters Knelt on One Knee and Bowed Their Heads. "Yes, Father-Sama."

Kami-Sama Smiled at His Daughters. He was /most/ Pleased with Their Decision. "Arise, My Daughters."

The three Sisters slowly Stood up on Their Feet again. The Sight of Their Father Smiling at Them from the shadows behind His Desk brought each Sister great Peace and Encouragement to Their Spirit...

Kami-Sama continued. "My Daughters...I now dub Thee The Norns...The Guardians Of Fate...Of the Past...Of the Present...Of the Future...Over All My Creation." He Pronounced.

"Thank you, Father." the three Sisters Chorused as One.

With a flash of Light, an Object appeared on the Floor at the Feet of each Sister. They Looked down at Them for a moment then up at Their Father.

"Urd...Norn Goddess of the Past...use this Spinning Wheel to Spin the Thread Of Fate from Time to Time. Collect It into a Skein on the Spindle and Give it to Belldandy."

"All right, Father." Urd Replied solemnly.

"Belldandy...Norn Goddess of the Present...use this Ruler to Measure out the Thread Of Fate Urd has Spun into its proper Lengths. Have Skuld at Your Side when You do this."

"Understood, Father." Belldandy Replied solemnly.

"Skuld...Norn Goddess of the Future...use these Shears to Cut The Thread Of Fate Urd has Spun and Belldandy has Measured out for You into Segments of Destiny..."

"Yes, Father." Skuld Replied solemnly.

"These Items that I have Given to You All are Symbols of the Titles Of Office You All now Hold. In /due/ Time, My Daughters...You will be Empowered to Perform these Tasks I have Given You with /greater/ Efficiency and Efficacy. At that Time, these Items are to be Used for Their intended Purposes in a ceremonial fashion under /Special Circumstances/."

"As you wish, Father." Chorused the Three Sisters.

As One, They Reached down and each Picked up the Item Kami-Sama gave Them. Skuld turned around and walked to the Door to Her Father's Office. Belldandy and Urd immediately fell into step behind Their Youngest Sister. A moment later, He used His Power to open the Door and watched His Three Daughters file out of His Office to begin to Perform Their newly assigned Duties. "/Thank you/...My Dear Daughters...For Your Assistance...It is /most/ Appreciated..." He Pronounced softly, His Power closing His Office Door back behind Them...

(X) 5. Dusk (X)

/A long time ago...on a forest moon far far away.../

As nightfall approached, two people were fighting for their lives...locked in a duel to the death from which only one of them could emerge victorious.../and alive/...

One was a star-trotting ne'er-do-well of a man with a /wonderous/ heritage behind him that he fought long and hard to hide from others he didn't want to know.

The other was a beautiful alien humanoid female with red skin covered in an assortment of black tattoos-a scantily-clad servant of pure, dark evil. She was sent out by her master and ordered to find, subdue, and return with the one she fought with.

Both combatants, their minds and bodies open and suffused with the all-encompasing energy Field that Enveloped them both, were energized and enabled by It to fight and dodge each other with /deadly/ precision, strength, and ability.

Their weapons, each one a deadly glowing colored blade of light, hummed, crackled, and snarled as both fighters swung them at each other-striving to cut their opponent down with them and bring an end to their duel of fate...

()()()

"My master awaits /your/ presence, Cade...surrender /now/.../or DIE!/" Talon snarled angrily between swipes of the red lightsaber in her hands.

"/Schutta/...your /lekku/...flying about...they /distract/ me...should I /cut/ them off?" Cade quipped darkly, blocking Talon's lightsaber attack with with the green-hued blade of energy emitted from his own.

"Over /my/ dead body!" Talon exclamed furiously, offended. Her counterattack forced Cade back a bit.

"That can be arranged, /schutta/...I've heard of lover's quarrels but /this/ is ridiculous!" Cade shot back with a bit of a rougish smile on his face.

Cade's remarks chipped away at Talon's battle-focus. Caught up in the heat of combat, she didn't notice her attention span wavering. "Surrender or /DIE/ Cade! RIGHT NOW!" Talon yelled.

"You sound just like a damaged holocron-saying the same thing over and over-give the 'Lady Death' act a rest now!" Cade taunted angrily. He was deliberately sandbagging his lover and mistress in the ways of the Dark Side of the Force. If she decided to 'bare her fangs' he was resigned to look for an opening and kill her, pure and simple. The rest was up to her...

Cade's last outburst pushed Talon over the edge. She flung herself into the obsidian, all-encompassing embrace of the Dark Side-allowing it to overwhelm her entire being! With a /mighty/ screech of fury, she leapt back some five meters, landed, then thrust her hand out toward Cade. "CADE, NOW YOU /DIE!/" she screamed, bolts of Force Lightning flying from her hand toward Cade.

Cade whipped up his lightsaber in front of him to parry the onslaught of Dark Current-diverting it around him harmlessly. Cade paused a moment to remember a story his father told him about /his/ grandfather-how he nearly was electrocuted in a similar fashion aboard a giant space station that once orbited this /very/ moon many years ago. He frowned slightly at Talon in the midst of her apopletic, Force-enhanced rage against him. With a tiny smirk, he thought, /The gloves are off *now*...Time to end this...Nice knowing 'ya, Talon-schutta.../

With a banshee-like cry, Talon lowered her arm and charged at Cade...

At /just the right moment/, Cade Force-jumped up and over Talon, twisting in midair. He landed about two meters away from her. Holding his lightsaber out in front of him, he lunged at Talon just as she turned around to attack him again.

Cade stabbed Talon through her foodbasket...

Talon cried out in /utter/ complete agony, dropping her lightsaber to the ground...

Cade switched off his lightsaber. He /would not/ disfigure the soon-to-be corpse of his /schutta/ by partially bisecting it as she collapsed to the ground-her spine cut in two by Cade's Force-assisted lightsaber strike. He clipped his lightsaber to his belt. Cade then knelt down on the ground next to Talon and cradled her up into his arms.

Talon chuckled weakly. "My lightsaber is still at hand...I could 'take you with me' as they say..."

"But you /won't/, dear /schutta/. Though you are a Sith, you are a warrior with some /honor/...I'm sure you'd want to die honorably as a warrior." Cade countered gently.

Talon smiled feebly up at Cade. "That is so...You defeated a Dark Lady Of The Sith in open, no-holds-barred combat. An /impressive/.../most impressive/ achievement done by the grandson of a pod racer and moisture farmer."

A tear formed in Cade's eye as he looked down on Talon with sadness. He blinked and it fell down onto her cheek.

Talon felt her strength ebb and wane as she felt Cade's tear fall on her face. With considerable effort, she reached up and placed the palm of her hand against the side of Cade's face. "My past crimes, though they are legion, will /all/ be paid for in full /very soon now/.../Cade/, grant your /schutta/...one last request...Before I fall asleep on my bed of tears...give me a final, long kiss goodnight..."

Without another word, Cade lifted Talon up and kissed her-holding her there in his embrace with their lips pressed together in a final demonstration of affection for each other-until her hand fell lifelessly away from Cade's face. Cade gently pulled away and looked down at the yellows of Talon's lifeless eyes. He gently reached in and closed her eyelids to accord her corpse some measure of dignity in death. "Rest now, dear /schutta/." he whispered with reverent fondness. Cade then picked up Talon's carmine-hued lightsaber. Seeing no power switch on the external casing of the weapon, he reached into it with the Force to deactivate it. After a few moments, he was successful. He cliped Talon's lightasber to his belt next to his own then gently scooped up her body, stood up, and carried it back to his ship for safekeeping. He would cremate her remains on a funeral pyre he would construct for her as his great-grandfather Luke did for /his/ father Anakin here many years ago. The situation at hand just happened to work out that way...He /owed/ it to her like the lifedebt Luke's sister's husband's Wookie friend and starship co-pilot had with him...

()()()

"Hello, Miss Talon." greeted a cheery, feminine voice.

Talon opened her eyes and saw a blonde-haired female human with odd (but /flattering/) red facial markings looking down at her. She reched for her lightsaber on the ground beside her but could not lay hold of it. She glanced over in that direction and found it was /gone!/

Mara smiled a bit at Talon's discomfiture. "You won't be needing your killer flashlight /any more/. By the way, my name is Mara."

Talon's ire grew for a moment then /totally evaporated/. "I'm dead now, aren't I?" she mused dejectedly, standing up.

"I'm afraid so, Miss Talon." confirmed Mara. "If you want, we can stay and watch Cade cremate your body. Surely, it would give you closure before we both move on to your /final/ destination in the realm of my Mistress."

"Thank you for your kindness, Mara." Talon replied modestly, falling into step behind the blonde demoness as she led her back to Cade's starship in another part of the woods...

(X) 6. Fiesta (X)

/One day in an unnamed South American country.../

/BANGBANGBANGBANGBANG!/

thud.

Silence.

Balalaika looked up from the book she was reading while seated on her bed in her cramped prison cell. She put the book down, stood up, and saluted her fallen comrade and second-in-command. "{Goodbye, Boris.}" she stated simply in Russian, lowering her arm.

A few minutes later, there was a few knocks at the door to her cell. It swung open moments later and a middle-aged Hispanic man entered dressed in a rumpled military uniform. "{Hello, Miss Balalaika...it is time now.}" he announced cheerily in the language of his country, "{I trust you will behave yourself as your comrade Boris and the others before him did-so I will forgo the indignity of restraints on you on the way out to the squad and the wall.}"

Balalaika smiled at the man. "{Professional courtesy?...why /thank you/ Vargas, I /appreciate/ it a lot.}" she replied in Vargas's native language with an almost /imperceptible/ hint of fascetiousness.

Vargas smiled back at her. "{You sound just like a native...I'm /very/ impressed.}" he complimented.

"{I've had plenty of time to learn the native language of your /fine/ country and practice it while jailed here.}" Balalaika added, walking through the cell door. She waited for Vargas to close the cell door back and followed the man through the old, dilapidated prison and out into the courtyard...

()()()

Balalaika walked out into the prison courtyard and looked up. The sun was shining and the sky was blue with not a cloud in sight. She took in a deep breath and let it out before looking down again "{Today is the first day of the rest of my life...and the /last/ day as well it seems.}" she quipped darkly with a smile, seeing a group of five soldiers milling about off to one side-their rifles slung over their shoulders by a strap attached to each of them.

Vargas chuckled heartily. "{Now /that/ is gallows humor! I am /impressed/, Miss Balalaika!} he grinned at her.

After a moment, Balalaika cleared her throat tentatively. "{So...where do I stand?}"

"{Anywhere you like against the wall, Miss Balalaika.}" Vargas proffered with a smile, sweeping his hand out in the direction of said wall.

Balalaika walked over to the wall and scanned it with some care. One spot caught her eye. Walking over to it, she saw a fresh splatter of blood covering a large number of other dried blood splatters in the same general area. Balalaika's gruff and tough exterior melted a bit. /Hotel Moscow lived togther, fought together, and now at last, we will *all* die together in the same place./ The sight of unity in death of the men under her command gave her the needed courage to accept and share in their fate. She paused and turned around-her back facing the wall. In the next few moments, her blood would join and mingle on the wall with those of her men that preceeded her in death. She smiled inwardly-/she would have it no other way!/

Vargas walked over to her side "{Any last requests, Miss Balalaika?}" he asked.

"{Just two, Vargas. Please give the orders to the firing squad in Russian like I taught you earlier and bury me with my men after the deed is done.}" Balalaika replied, her resolve set to face her demise in an honorable, noble fashion.

"{Finding yourself nostalgic for the days of the Revolution in your Motherland back in 1917? As you wish, Miss Balalaika.}" complied Vargas with a smile. He held out a blindfold to her.

Balalaika politely refused it. "{I want to see the bullets coming if I want to.}" she said in mock bravado with a bit of a smirk.

"{Gallant and courageous to the /very/ end like all your men were when they were /each/ executed.}" complimented Vargas heartily.

Balalaika blushed and smiled a bit. "{Thank you, Vargas, I tried to train my men as well as I could.}"

Vargas stood at attention and saluted Balalaika. "{Farewell, Miss Balalaika, Captain of the fearsome Hotel Moscow soldier unit.}"

Balalaika returned the salute. "{Farewell, Commandant Vargas. It has been a pleasure knowing you during my enforced stay in your almost inhospitable facilities here.}

Vargas tipped his cap toward Balalaika and bowed slightly. He straightened up and walked over to the other five soldiers. Without a word, all six men formed a line facing her some ten meters away.

Balalaika clasped her hands behind her back and waited patiently for her demise to come...

"{Ready!}" Vargas called out loudly in Russian.

The other solders readied their rifles...

"{Aim!}"

The soldiers took aim at the heart that beat within Balalaika's chest...

As Fate would have it, Balalaika /blinked/ just then...

"{FIRE!}"

/BANGBANGBANGBANGBANG!/

thud.

Silence.

(X)

/Elsewhere...in the Underworld Of Hild.../

"{Captain.}" said a male voice in thick, accented Russian.

Balalaika opened her eyes and smiled. "{Boris...are all the other men here as well?}"

"{Yes, Captain.}" Boris replied, helping his Captain to her feet. "{Look.}"

Across the way, Balalaika saw the rest of her men fraternizing with a goregeous, blonde-haired young woman with thin red streaks on her face (Were they tattoos?) around a /large/ table piled high with assorted comestibles. "{Who /is/ that?}" she asked suspiciously.

"{That is the handler sent to us by our unseen, unnamed host. Her name is Mara.}" Boris replied guardedly.

"{Welcome to Hell, Balalaika! You /finally/ got your wish! How /ironic/ you weren't found worthy to receive one through the normal, usual channels!}" Mara congratulated.

"{Dare I ask how you are able to speak flawless Russian?}" asked Balalaika archly.

"{Not at all, your forefathers thousands of years ago wanted to build an edifice that would 'reach unto heaven'.}" began Mara using /air quotes/ at the end, "{Kami-Sama /didn't/ like that...Not...one.../bit/.../So/...He 'randomized' the Common Tongue of the day and...in the end, here /we/ are...But that's if you believe such stories like folks like me do. Some of them give us the /heebie-jeebies/.}"

"{What about this /wish/ you mentioned earlier?}" Balalaika asked cautiously.

With a big, defacatious-ingesting grin plastered on her face, Mara replied, "{Don't you remember /that movie/ you were watching with Revy and Rock behind you?}"

In a /flash/, it all came back to Balalaika "{Editing adult entertainment tapes was /excrutiatingly/ tedious and boring but it helped pay the bills for Hotel Moscow between the well-funded operations we would get from time to time from the handlers of the clients who contracted us.}" she explained to her defense, a bit embarassed.

"{It was /priceless!/ Rock was /thoroughly/ embarassed, Revy couldn't believe what she saw, and you just about couldn't take the tedium any longer. You said, and I qoute, 'somebody /shoot/ me' then and that's /exactly/ what happened to you earlier topside in that /latrine/ of prison somewhere in South America-you /eventually/ got what you /said/ you wanted.}" Mara lectured enthusiastically.

One of Balalaika's men walked up to Boris and handed him an open, large, squat glass bottle and two large red and black plastic cups before returning back to the others.

Boris smiled at his Captain. "{Care for some vodka, Ma'am.}"

"{Is that the /good/ stuff from Sweden?}" Balalaika asked tentatively.

Boris glanced at the bottle. "{Absolutely!}" he replied in hearty affirmation. He gave a cup to Balalaika, filled it up to the top with the clear, intoxicating beverage, then filled his own cup. He crouched down to place the bottle on the floor then stood back up carefully so as not to spill the drink in his hand.

"{This is /WAY too much/ liquor for me to drink all at once, Boris.}" Balalaika mused with concern.

Boris leveled with his commanding officer. "{Ma'am, we are /all dead/...alcohol poisoning is the /least/ of our worries now!}"

"{Since you put it that way...}" Balalaika concluded, raising her cup above her head. "{To Hotel Moscow! Welcome home, dogs of war!}"

The others raised their cups and cheered in acknowledgement of Balalaika's toast.

Everybody then took a hearty sip from their cups.

Mara, a bit pixilated, spoke up just then. "{I /really/ like how you Russians pronounce the letter 'V'...reminds me of that guy in that old SF movie asking passerbys about where the atom-powered ships were located...But /you guys/ were probably too busy performing /'wetwork'/ or other clandestine, high-stakes ops to even /care/ about such frivolous, scripted, filmed entertainment.}"

With a scowl on her face, Balalaika stormed up to Mara and stared directly into the demoness' eyes. "{If you were human and we were 'topside', I /would not/ hesitate to /put you down/ for such effrontery with the help of the muzzle of a large-caliber handgun pressed snugly against your forehead-}"

"{Like a Desert Eagle? You can /definitely/ taste the brain matter using one of those!}" Mara suggested cheerfully.

"{Why /yes/...Uh, hold on!}" The leader of Hotel Moscow blurted out, flustered. She sighed, paused, then continued, "{I guess I've got some anger management issues to work through now...}" Balalaika mused pensively.

Mara smiled at Balalaika "{Relax, you have all Eternity in the Underworld to do that. My /magnificent/ female canine of a Boss ordered me to arrange this party to honor you, a kindred spirit, and your men-you should enjoy it while you can. When the time comes, She /will/ call for you.}"

Balalaika smiled back at Mara "{All right, Mara.../Thank you/.}"

"{You're welcome, Captain Balalaika. Enjoy the party.}" replied Mara respectfully.

Balalaika smiled rather broadly and returned, "{If your Boss ever holds another one of these festive get-togethers, I'll see /you/ at the party, Mara...so don't be left outside singing in the rain.}" she gave the demoness a subtle, knowing look over the top of her cup and took a sip of vodka from the contents within it.

At that, Mara beamed with happiness-glad to find a fellow conneseiur of those two /particular/ classic examples of bloodthirsty cinematic ultraviolence...

Mara turned around and disappered into the throng of men that was Hotel Moscow...

Then she just disappeared...

(X) 7. Room (X)

/In a room somewhere in the Underworld of Hild.../

Gendo Ikari had his hands shackled to lengths of chain over his head. He briefly tested his bonds and found himself to be securely restrained.

He smirked to himself. /Well, I'm not going anywere anytime soon.../

Across the way, he heard the metal door to the room he was in open and swing aside with an ominous high-pitched whine of grinding metal.

Looking up, he saw a beautiful young, bespectacled pale skinned woman with long, black hair saunter into the room. She wore a black leather bodysuit trimmed in red that clung to every shapely curve she had like a second skin. Gendo gave the woman a subtle, leering smirk of appreciation for her beauty. Glancing at her hip, he saw a bullwhip that matched her attire coiled and clipped to the belt around her waist. "And who might you be?"

"I have been sent by the command of my Mistress to you to discipline you at Her behest, Gendo Rokubungi." replied the woman, walking up to Gendo's side.

"So, you know my name-is that supposed to instil fear in me?" Gendo snorted gently in defiance. "Madam, I was bit in two by a giant biomechanical robot. I /highly/ doubt you can do anything to me that can top that!"

The woman unclipped the coiled bullwhip from her belt, lifted it up, and gently stroked Gendo's cheek with it. "We shall see about that in due time, Gendo." she purred coyly before walking away from him several paces.

Gendo watched the woman walk off then turn around to face him some distance away. "So, madam, what is your name since you /obviously/ know mine?" Gendo asked with a bit of a smirk on his face.

"When I was alive, my name was Ana," the woman began, allowing the coils of the bullwhip to drop to the floor-the handle of it clenched tightly in one gloved hand. With the other hand, she then touched her gloved index finger to the wire frame of her glasses, causing both lenses to shade over to dark brown instantly! "To you however, I am /the Baroness!/"

()()()

/Earlier.../

Ana opened her eyes and saw the bright, white flourescent lighting fixtures in the ceiling overhead. She sat up and looked around in front of her-a bit puzzled that she no longer wore her glasses. The door to the room was open. Duke was gone-leaving behind a haphazard trail of drops of blood on the floor. A moment later, she saw a goregeous young woman with long blonde hair and odd red marks on her face appear in the doorway and walk into the room.

"Hello, Miss Lewis." greeted the woman warmly with a smile. "I am Mara. My Mistress, Hild, sent me here to bring you to Her Presence. She has a job opening on Her staff and She has Decided /you/ are the perfect candidate for it."

Ana stood up, took a few steps toward Mara, and stopped. She crossed her arms under her bosom and stared at Mara intensely. "Unless I want to, I take orders from /no one!/" Ana hissed defiantly.

Mara smiled knowingly. "Too late for that now, Miss Lewis, look behind you." she replied promptingly.

Ana cautiously glanced over one shoulder and /gasped!/ Turning around, she took in the sight before her with dismay and sadness. "It was either Duke or myself..." she quipped darkly after a moment's reflection.

Mara walked up to Ana's side to get a closer look and whistled in awe and amazement. "You two fought /savagely/ like trained, cold-blooded, hardcore professional killers-I am /deeply/ impressed! Too bad you lost."

Tears began to run down Ana's cheeks. "I was /so/ angry at Duke-I /failed/ to obtain the vengeance I so dearly sought to exact from him!" she exclaimed sadly.

Mara gently laid a hand on Ana's shoulder for reassurance. "Come, Ana...surely the job Hild has for you will cheer you up."

/I hope so/. thought Ana, yearing for her situation to improve-in any way possible! After a moment, Ana wiped away her tears with her gloved fingertips. "Very well then. Lead the way, Mara."

Mara turned and walked to the doorway. Ana fell into step behind the blonde demoness and both women walked through it into the darkness beyond...

(X)

/Earlier...in a locked, rather large room in COBRA headquarters beneath the ice pack somewhere in the Artic Sea.../

A man and woman faced each other. They were two ex-lovers who were also trained, battle-hardened military agents sorting out a /truly/ life-or-death matter amongst themselves...

"Ana...I'm /truly/...deeply sorry about your brother Rex...Believe me I am!" Duke apologized, standing handcuffed in front of Ana who had a handgun aimed at him. "The airstrike came in /too early/. Someone screwed up in the chain of command. When stuff like that happens, it is blamed on 'the fog of war'."

Ana scoweled angrily at Duke, pointing the handgun she held in one hand at him. "Raise your hands over your head, Duke." she commanded icily, thumbing back the hammer on the handgun with an ominous /click/. "/Now!/"

Duke paused, then did as ordered. "You /don't/ have to do this, Ana." he replied, trying hard not to sound like he was begging for his life.

A shot rang out!

A spent shell casing tinkled on the floor a moment later.

Duke's arms flopped down to his sides. His hands were free and he was /still alive!/...but for how much longer?...

Ana holstered her pistol with one hand and unsheathed a gleaming, wicked-looking serrated combat knife with the other-holding it up near her face so Duke could see it clearly. "/Duke/...one of us is going to /die/ today in this room..." Ana promised ominously with steely resolve, stepping warily toward her ex-lover...

()()()

/Later.../

The door unlocked and opened out. Duke staggered cautiously into the hallway holding Ana's pistol. He was bleeding from a number of cuts on his body where Ana's knife bit into him. He limped off in search of his fellow agents so he could get patched up by one of their medics before they all began to lay siege upon COBRA's HQ...

(X) 8. Duo (X)

/A hospice room in a ward of Tokyo, Japan *infamous* for copious amounts of *destructive* martial artistry.../

A young man bade goodbye to his sickly, cancer-ridden wife in the most /intimate/ way possible.../upon her deathbead/...at /her/ request!

()()()

"UCCHAN!" Ranma cried out in /passionate love/ for his dying wife Ukyo as she wrapped her arms around him at the apex of their lovemaking. Unable to restrain himself any longer in her loving, dual embrace, he disgorged his vibrant manliness into Ukyo as the penultimate expression of his love for her...

As Ranma's warm, comforting presence pulsed vigorously within Ukyo, the bright white Light she saw coming from behind him filled her eyes. So much so, the Light became /all/ she could see! The last of Ukyo's lifeforce began to drain out of her body. Sighing weakly, she said, "Thank you Ran-chan...Thank you for ev-"

(X)

"er-"

The Light faded away. Ukyo found herself looking up at her arms and at the white ceiling above them-a moment ago they were wrapped around her husband Ranma as he made love to her /one last time/. She lowered her arms to her side. She was lying down on something-a bed? She sat up and looked down at herself. She was dressed in a beautiful gown that /glowed white/. Looking to one side she saw a chair with her skid-proof slippers and old chef's uniform folded on it-bright and clean like they were the /first/ day she wore them on the job at her restaurant. On top of them were her bandoliers filled with her throwing spatulas. Leaning against the back of the chair was her battle spatula-a large baker's peel. Like her uniform and slippers, they all looked brand new as well.

"W-what happened to me? Where am I?" Ukyo mumbled to herself.

A knock sounded at the door across the way just then.

"Come in." Ukyo called. Perhaps her visitor would have the answers she sought.

The door opened and a tall, beautiful teenage girl with brown hair styled in a shoulder-length ponytail walked into her room and closed the door back behind her. She wore a white blouse trimed in brown with a green skirt. It looked like some sort of school uniform.

"Glad to see you are awake, Ukyo. I am Makoto." said the girl with a charming smile, "Belldandy was too busy with work with Freya on this /big/ project I'm involved with so She Asked me to come here to you." Makoto paused to savor Ukyo's blank look then added, "Now how could I say 'no' to the Daughter of Kami-Sama."

Ukyo gasped in realization. "Am I in Heaven?"

Makoto smiled again. "That you /are/." she chirped, "At least you died /somewhat/ peacefully from terminal cancer-unlike me."

"What happened to you?" asked Ukyo hesitantly.

"Long-range, large-caliber gunshot wound to the chest-I /never/ saw it coming. I died in the line of duty."

"Were you a cop? Or a soldier?" added Ukyo. She found herself drawn into Makoto's story.

"On my world, I was part of an elite team of pretty sailor-suited soldiers who saved the day until we all got in over our heads and /everything went *totally* pear shaped!/ When I was with them when I was alive, I was known as Sailor Jupiter." Makoto explained.

Realization suddenly dawned on Ukyo! "That's /odd/...Where I come from, you are a charactor on /Sailor Moon/, a weekly cartoon show on TV."

Makoto smirked. "That's the multiverse for ya'! You'd have to ask Skuld about that when you get the chance if you want to. Anyway, I'm here because you've been selected to join this project with me. You can say 'no' but at least you should see it and meet Belldandy and Freya first. Get dressed and come with me."

Ukyo got out of bed and stepped over to the chair that held her belongings. "Aren't you gonna turn around or something so I can change clothes in private?" she asked archly.

"Won't be necessary. Up Here, everything is either 'an act or a fact' Someone once said...Trust me, I'm not a perv. Just touch one of your belongings..." Makoto prompted enigmatically with a smile of reassurance.

Ukyo gave Makoto a dubious look of skepticism as she reached out to touch one of her bandoliers...

Just as both of them blinked at the same time...

"See, I told you /so/." Makoto beamed.

"Huh?" Ukyo uttered, puzzled. She looked herself over and found she was fully dressed and prepared to engage in martial arts foodservice. Her gown was folded neatly on the chair. "/Amazing!/..." Ukyo breathed in wonder and amazement.

"Come on, let's go." prompted Makoto, turning around and walking to the door and opening it. Ukyo joined her at her side a moment later. "After you." directed the tall brunette warmly.

"Thanks." Ukyo replied gratefully, stepping through the doorway before Makoto followed her a moment later.

As Makoto closed the door back, she walked off with Ukyo by her side. "The project is a mess hall for the members of Freya's Armed Forces to dine in. It's called...the /Valkyrteria/..."

(X) 9. Tide (X)

/A Galaxy Police Force starcruiser traveling through the interstellar medium to planet Earth.../

With a /hiss/, the door slid aside and Kiyone stepped onto the cramped bridge. "Status report, Mihoshi."

"Uh.../uncertain/, Kiyone." Mihoshi replied fretfully, looking over the ship's controls with concern from the co-pilot's seat.

With due haste, because a potential problem involved Mihoshi, Kiyone came forward and plopped down into the pilot's seat next to Mihoshi. She scanned the controls over. Nothing seemed amiss...but with Mihoshi, you could /never/ tell. "OK, Mihoshi, what did you do?"

"I think I might have messed up the co-ordinates I fed into the navicomp. I entered: 38, 67, and 117."

Kiyone slapped her hand against her forehead with an all too audible /smack!/ "Those co-ordinates should have been: 38, 67, 11, and /7/..." fumed Kiyone in realization. "/MIHOSHI!/...Do you have /any/ idea where we will end up once we drop out of warpspace!?"

"Uhm.../nope!/" replied Mihoshi sheepishly, scratching the back of her head.

Just then, the GXP starcruiser re-entered realspace. A moment later, an alarm sounded...sealing the fate of everyone aboard the spaceship...

"Kiyone, what /is/ that large, black swirly hole thing up ahead?...It's giving me the /creeps!/". Mihoshi stated fearfully, shivering in her seat.

"Mihoshi, that's a /collapsar/ out there...and we're headed /straight for it!/" Kiyone exclamed in reply.

"What's a collapsar?" asked Mihoshi innocently, distracted from the /mortal danger/ they were all in.

"Didn't you pay attention in Astronomy Class back at the GXP Academy? A collapsar is the /heaviest/ thing to /ever/ exist in the /entire universe!/ It has a gravity field /so strong/ that /light itself/ can't escape its clutches!" explained Kiyone, her level of hysteria begining to rise.

With another /hiss/, the door slid aside and Ryoko, Tenchi, and Ayeka crammed themselves onto the bridge behind Kiyone and Mihoshi.

"We heard the alarm in the back of the ship-what's up?" asked Tenchi concernedly.

Kiyone slouched down in the pilot's chair in defeat. "Our /doom/ it seems..." she grumbled ominously, pointing to the collapsar that swirled larger and larger ahead of them beyond the viewport.

Ayeka latched onto Tenchi's arm, huddling close to him for comfort. "How did this /happen?!/" she asked in a fearful, shrill tone, white as a sheet.

Kiyone silently pointed away from the collapsar beyond and over to Mihoshi seated next to her.

Ryoko smirked. "It figures...Mihoshi, you have /truly outdone/ yourself today...for the /last/ time of your life...But I forgive you anyway...It /had/ to have been an accident."

"Well, at least I get to die with my friends today..." Tenchi observed with cavalier, upbeat resignation. He smiled when Ryoko reached over to hug him and Ayeka to herself.

Ryoko kissed Tenchi on the cheek. "Goodbye Tenchi. Glad I knew ya'." she said with a jaunty sweetness.

At that, Ayeka found courage to face her demise in Ryoko's final display of affection for Tenchi. She kissed Tenchi on the other cheek. "Farewell, Lord Tenchi." Ayeka said in a regal, bittersweet tone.

In /great/ anguish, tears fountained from Mihoshi's eyes and ran down her cheeks. "I'm sorry.../I'm *so* sorry everyone!/..." she sobbed with /great/ sadness and regret, bowing her head.

Kiyone's eye twitched uncontrolably as she watched the collapsar outside get bigger and bigger and the bridge inside get darker and darker. "More light." she whimpered in a soft, pleading tone...

(X) 10. Promote (X)

/The floor of a hallway somewhere inside a place called 'The Geofront'.../

Misato Katsuragi felt her blood ooze and pool underneath her head-her lifeforce dwindling to a dying ember. Moments earlier, she sent her charge, Shinji Ikari, down an elevator to his battle partner, a giant biomechanical robot, for his safety. Before that, she had been shot by enemy forces laying siege to the Geofront before she hustled Shinji to safety behind a nearby reinforced door from an adjoining catwalk. Delireous, she woozily voiced the last thoughts she would ever have as a mortal as she closed her eyes...

(X)

Misato slowly opened her eyes. "Is /this/...a Persian rug?" she asked aloud at what she saw.

"No," Replied a Voice, "But one /more/ valuable than it is partially covering it."

Misato looked around from where she was. All she could see was the rug beneath her and the wall of a Room. "Where am I?"

"No longer in the land of the living for starters." the Voice Quipped.

Misato pushed herself upright and looked around her some more. "At least this isn't Gendo's office, thank Kami-Sama for that."

"Indeed." Replied the Voice, Resisting the Urge to Laugh.

Misato then looked down and around her. "/Hey/...I'm the only one on the rug..." Just then, everything clicked into place within Misato's mind. "Am I...in /Heaven?/"

"/Yes/...Yes you are, Miss Katsuragi." Answered the Voice, "I /am/ Kami-Sama. I got you Here just in time-a moment later, an explosion ripped your mortal body apart in two at the waist...while you would have been /still/ alive."

Misato gasped in shock, wide-eyed. After a moment of contemplation, she bowed her head. "Thank you for sparing me from such a /gruesome/ fate, Kami-Sama."

"You are /most/ welcome, Miss Katsuragi." Replied Kami-Sama with a Smile. "Your actions while you were alive have /not/ gone unnoticed...Your reward /awaits/ you...Do you wish to claim it?"

Misato paused and looked up at Kami-Sama with a smile as He sat shrouded in shadow behind His Desk in front of a large Window. "Sure, why not, Sir. Thank you for it."

A moment later, Misato felt overwhelming power and vitality flood her entire being! It caused her to gasp in wide-eyed surprise! "/Thank you/...Kami-Sama!" she exclaimed in awe and wonder.

"Arise, Covert Valkyrie Major Misato Katsuragi." Pronounced Kami-Sama.

Misato slowly stood up. "Covert.../Valkyrie?/..." she repeated, puzzled. Glancing at her side, she noticed something unexpected. "My hair...it's grown /longer/...down to the small of my back!"

Kami-Sama Explained at length. "An outward manifistation of the hidden power that /now/ resides within you...Miss Katsuragi, you are the /first one/ in a new group of Heaven's warsisters I have just Formed. In the past, when you were alive, you were a soldier and tactician of the highest caliber as Ops Director of NERV during emergencies. When those emergencies passed, you lived life to the fullest when off duty as Misato Katsuragi, happy-go-lucky guardian to the two children given to you as wards: Asuka Sohryu Langley and Shinji Ikari. As one of My Covert Valkyries, you will continue in such capacity in service to Me. When off duty, you can do pretty much whatever you want...until I call on you for secret missions for Me that will utilize the skills you acquired when you were alive with the help of the power I just now gave you."

"Thank you, Sir." replied Misato gratefully. "Those emergencies at NERV took their toll on me...I was pretty much burned out but I /always/ put that aside when the fate of the world rested on my shoulders during those emergencies. But still...I /really did/ like calling the shots as Ops Director."

"While off-duty, why not pursue some lasting project that will make use of the management skills you obtained when you were alive..." suggested Kami-Sama with a Smile.

"Why thank you, Sir!" Misato chirped, beaming happily.

"You're welcome, Miss Katsuragi. Before you leave My Office, I have something for you." Kami-Sama Stated, Pointing to a small object resting on the edge of His Desk nearest Misato.

The ex-NERV officer stepped forward, picked the object up, and looked it over. "Is this.../a cellphone?/"

"Yes, in a manner of speaking." began Kami-Sama. "You can use it to communicate with others-/especially/ your counterpart while the both of you are out together on a mission for Me from time to time."

"Counterpart?" Misato repeated inquisitively. She pocketed the small device in a pocket inside her red jacket.

Kami-Sama Paused, then Replied, "A Covert Guardian Of Heaven by the name of Jack Bauer..."

(X) 11. Process (X)

/A huge subterranean chamber, called 'Terminal Dogma', inside a place called 'The Geofront'.../

Betrayed...defeated...and /dying/ after just having been shot by her boss, Gendo Ikari, Ritsuko Akagi sailed through the air and fell into the lake of LCL with a large /splash!/. As she sank down into the limpid orange depths, she closed her eyes and waited for the end to come...

(X)

...And waited...

...And waited...

...And waited...

...Ritsuko opened her eyes and smiled. "Hello.../Misato/." she sighed with relief.

The ex-NERV officer looked down at her friend as she floated on her back in the private pool beyond her bathroom in her apartment. "Welcome to Heaven, Ritsuko!" Misato exclaimed with a smile. "The ladder to get out is over there." she pointed to a nearby metal ladder at the edge of the pool a few meters away and walked to it.

Ritsuko rolled over and swam to the ladder and climbed out. Soaking wet, she slumped to the deck and began to cry in great wracking sobs.

Misato knelt down and hugged Ritsuko tightly. "Your suffering is now /over/ Ritsuko...You are /truly free/...thanks to Kami-Sama." she stated in a gentle tone.

"Thank you, Kami-Sama!...Thank you, Misato!" bawled Ritsuko, her emotions flooding out of her for quite some time...

(X) 12. Restore (X)

/On a devastated battlefield near a place called 'The Geofront', a young lady of war was *utterly* robbed of her decisive, last-second victory.../

Anger and rage /filled/ Asuka's maimed, and badly injured body. "I'll /kill/ you!" she chanted repeatedly, reaching up within her Entry Plug with /great/ effort-trying to grab hold of her tormentors who circled high overhead in the sky.

At the sight of Asuka's battle partner reaching up to them from the ground, the response of the group of Mass Production Evangelions above them was swift and /overwhelmingly brutal!/

Lances rained down and pierced Asuka's torn and evicerated Evangelion, UNIT 02-joining the first one that earlier skewered the giant biomechanical robot in the head, causing it to fall back and be pinned by it to the ground...

(X)

Agony, complete and totally absolute, shrouded Asuka's entire being-it was drowning her in pain! "aaaaaaaaaaa-" she cried out in a soft, weak, gurgling wail of despair, partially curled into a fetal positon, her eye squeezed shut.

Kami-Sama Acted quickly before Asuka passed onward to the revered Hall in her broken, maimed, and bleeding state. "Be whole and /live/, child." He Said softly, waving His Hand toward Asuka.

"AAAAAAAAAuh-" Asuka screamed at the top of her lungs and stopped. /She wasn't in any pain anymore!/ She opened her eye and looked around. She was in an unfamiliar place. It looked somewhat like the description of Gendo's office Misato gave her some time ago. She moved her hand away from her face-/and found she saw the same thing from the other eye that had been put out earlier!/ "{My God in Heaven!}" Asuka whispered in German in awe and wonder, sitting up.

"{Yes, indeed, Asuka.}" Replied Kami-Sama with a Smile.

Asuka looked up with a start and saw Someone smiling back at her from the shadows while Seated behind a large Desk in front of a huge window.

"{You are a young and /courageous/ female warrior who has aptly proven yourself in past battles...You are /essentially/ a Valkyrie...Would you like to /actually become one/ in service to Me?}" Kami-Sama asked invitingly.

Asuka thought and thought for quite some time, reflecting on her past and the offer Kami-Sama made to her. In the past she was haughty, then horrifically humiliated in the last moments of her earthly life, and now /utterly humble/ and humbled by Kami-Sama...by His Presence and by the gift He offered her. Asuka began to cry tears of joy as she reached up toward Kami-Sama with outstretched arms. "{Oh, thank you, my God in Heaven! I accept the place in the Sisterhood Of War You have offered me. May my conduct and service as one of Your Valkyries bring You /great/ glory and honor to You and Your Name!}" she promised solemnly, tears streaming down her cheeks from her eyes.

Kami-Sama Typed something at His Workstation for a moment then turned His Attention back to Asuka. "{Arise, Asuka Sohryu Langley. You are now a Valkyrie, a warsister of Heaven...May you bring glory and honor upon yourself as you do so for Me as you have just said...starting with the very garment and accessories you /now/ wear...}" He Pronounced.

Asuka looked herself over and gasped in awe and wonder. She saw that her plugsuit had changed colors. It was now white and trimmed in blue and garnished with shiny silver in a style similar to the apperance it once had not long ago. She was /so/ sure the A10 Nerve Connection Clips in her hair had changed colors as well to match the new colors of her plugsuit that she didn't bother to take them off long enough to look. Lowering her arms to the floor, Asuka stood back up again. She wiped her tears away and smiled at Kami-Sama, her heart filled with eager happiness. "{Thank You, /very much/, my God in Heaven!}"

Kami-Sama Replied warmly in Japanese, "You are /most/ welcome, Asuka. An escort will be by shortly to lead you to your quarters among your fellow warsisters."

Just then, there was a knock at the Door to Kami-Sama's Office. "Come in." He Announced invitingly.

Asuka turned around to look. The Door opened inward to reveal a beautiful woman dressed for battle in a flattering garment of bodily protection of white, blue and shiny, gleaming silver.

The woman spoke. "Asuka Sohryu Langley, I am your escort sent here at the behest of Kami-Sama. I am Freya, your Queen and Leader Of The Valkyries. You have a /lot/ of work ahead of you in your new station of your afterlife as a Valkyrie...But first, /you must rest/ before you start...Come along, now." Freya beckoned primly.

Asuka walked over to Freya and the both of them walked off together down the Hallway...

Smiling, Kami-Sama used His Power to close the Door back. He returned to His Work, confident that Asuka would eventually fulfill the /very/ words she spoke as a solemn promise to Him...

(X) 13. Twine (X)

/Inside the control room, called 'Central Dogma', of a place called 'The Geofront'/

A group of NERV personnel observed the end of their world unfolding...an event which was called... /Instrumentality/...

()()()

Makoto Hyuga sat in his chair and cringed in wide-eyed revulsion and fear as Misato Katsuragi leaned in to grasp the sides of his face in her hands and kiss him. As she pounced on him, he shut his eyes quickly...

()()()

Shigeru Aoba cowered on the floor in the space underneath his console, screaming in outright fear as Rei Ayanami reached forward to place her hand on his shoulder. He squeezed his eyes shut in utter dread...

()()()

Maya Ibuki stared at the information displayed on her laptop in disbelief.../the end of the world had come!/ Aprehensively, she placed her quivering hands over the keyboard. A moment later, another pair of hands covered hers. She moved her hands down away from the keyboard and watched them type rapidly for a moment. Looking sideways, she saw her /senpai/, Ritsuko Akagi! Happiness and joy utterly flooded Maya's being as she closed her eyes and hugged her beautiful, blonde-haired mentor and boss who hugged her back in kind as well...

(X)

"Now that wasn't so bad, was it, Makoto?" purred a feminine voice.

Makoto opened his eyes. "Major Katsuragi..." he muttered in disbelief, seing Misato draw away from his face. He reached up to adjust his glasses and just then realized that he wasn't wearing them...

()()()

Maya opened her eyes. "/Senpai!/" she cried with utter delight.

Ritsuko gently pulled away from Maya and smiled at her. "It's all over now, Maya. You are /safe/ now."

Maya looked across the way and saw Shigeru cowering and screaming. Moved by compassion at seeing her friend and fellow NERV officer in distress, she crawled over to him to help him...

()()()

"Shigeru, please calm down...The danger is past...You are /safe/ now." pleaded a feminine voice gently.

Shigeru's eyes popped open. "Maya, is that you?" he asked fearfully.

"Yes, Shigeru, I'm right behind you." Maya replied calmly, smiling.

Shigeru whirled around. "It /is/ you! Oh, thank Kami-Sama!" he exclaimed with utter relief, hugging her tightly to himself as Maya returned the embrace in kind.

"Truly.../Truly/...Indeed it is /so/..." Misato noted reverently.

()()()

Misato, Ritsuko, and Makoto gathered around Maya and Shigeru to share the newfound peace and comforting presence of one another in their afterlives after their time of life on the earth they once inhabited had came to an end...

(X) 14. Gala (X)

/Later...In a hallway in a building somewhere in Heaven.../

Alone, Misato strode quickly with sure footsteps to her destination. She held her cellphone to one ear. "Status report, people. I'm on my way to make the announcement to open this place to the public."

()()()

"Misato, The NORNS master computer control system is /fully/ operational." Ritsuko reported from her post inside the Control Room. "URD, BELL, and SKULD report no anomalies at this time."

"Ma'am, the staff department heads all reported in a few minutes ago-the entire resort staff is prepared and ready to serve our first batch of clientele." Maya added, seated next to Ritsuko.

"Major, all the resort's enviromental systems are online and fully functional." Makoto chimed in from his post nearby.

"Katuragi, the on-grounds safety systems are 100% operational, no incidents to report." Shigeru reported in from his post next to Makoto.

"Good work, all of you...Thanks for helping me make this place.../a reality/." Misato replied over the intercom system in the Control Room.

Ritsuko smirked. "Misato, this place is /twelve times/ bigger than the original resort was in pre-Second Impact South America ...including the.../pool/...out front. Even the name you gave this place is quite.../unique/...and /clever/ I must say..."

()()()

"You know me, Ritsuko...'Go big or go home!'" Misato quipped sheepishly. "Gotta go, guys...time for me to make the big announcement. Katsuragi out." Misato hung up and pocketed her cellphone inside her red jacket. In front of her was a glass door that opened onto a balcony overlooking the front of the resort. She opened the door and stepped through onto the balcony to make her announcement...

()()()

Misato looked down and smiled at the /massive/ throng of individuals assembled together-the first group of guests to stay at the vacation resort after it was constructed according to her detailed specifications. "Greetings everyone...I am your hostess, Resort Director Misato Katsuragi.../welcome/...all of you...to /Ariel Madison Sun Marina!/"

Cheers and applause filled Misato's ears. The ex-NERV officer began to cry-tears glistened in her brown eyes and streamed down her cheeks. "Thank you.../very much/...Kami-Sama!..." She murmurred in praise and adulation, smiling at the jubilant crowd below her...

(X) 15. Page (X)

/Later...at the door to the Resort Director's office.../

Ritsuko knocked on the door three times and waited for a response.

"Who's there?" came Misato's muffled voice through the door.

"It's Ritsuko." replied the blonde-haired, ex-NERV scientist.

"Come in." Misato beckoned.

()()()

Ritsuko entered the office and closed the door behind her. She smirked at what she saw. "For a second, I thought Gendo was sitting behind the desk-you have his 'pose' down /cold/."

"Huh?" Misato perked up, unclasping her hands from in front of her face. "Sorry, Ritsuko, I was studying these department reports /very carefully/...I had /no/ idea I was 'imitating'.../him/...So what brings you by?"

Ritsuko walked up to Misato's desk. "I just decided to get out of the Control Room for a while and stretch my legs and tour the place a bit...I saw no problems on the way here to your office."

"Good." Misato replied. She stood up, turned around and walked to the large window behind her desk. A moment later, Ritsuko joined her at her side. "Look at the guests down there...they are /so/ happy enjoying their stay and use of the facilities here...It is /my reward/ from them to me for looking out for their best interests while they stay here on their vacations...that is worth /more/ to me than /mere money/...the domain of /cruel men/...which has /absolutely no/ meaning here in the Kingdom of Kami-Sama since He Owns /Everything/ by Dint of Creation and Procreation..."

"Indeed, Misato...You have done well...surely Kami-Sama is /well/ pleased." Ritsuko complimented with a smile.

Misato closed her eyes for a moment. Smiling, she opened them again, "Ritsuko, you are now Resort Director again until further notice-Jack and I have been given another covert mission from Kami-Sama."

"As you wish, Misato." Ritsuko replied. She watched Misato walk to the door. "Have a safe mission, you two, and tell Jack I said 'hello'."

Misato opened the door and looked back at Ritsuko. "Will do...see you soon..." she walked through the doorway and closed the door back...

(X) 16. Transit (X)

/At MITHRIL Headquarters on Merida Island.../

Richard Mardukas stood behind a podium. In front of him was the entire staff of MITHRIL that was on the island except for Kalinin who stood some distance away from him-hands clasped behind his back. Between the two men was a large sheet sporting MITHRIL's coat-of-arms that was strung up between two flagpoles.

The bespectacled commander gave the microphone in front of him a tentative thump or two to see if it was on. It was. Clearing his throat, he began to speak. "Today we are here to honor and comemerate the passing and memory of five of our /best/ MITHRIL agents...whose /ultimate/ self-sacrifice /saved the world/...I didn't bother to prepare a long-winded speech that would bore you all to tears as you shall all now see."

Mardukas and Kalinin stepped over to the flagpoles and undid the ropes from the cleats. After a moment, both men simultaneously let go of the ropes they both held in their hands. The sheet fell to the ground revealing a sight that drew a collective gasp of awe and wonder from the staff: five life-sized metal statues of the fallen MITHRIL agents standing on the deck of the formidably larger scale model metal sculpture of the submarine they served on, the /Tuatha De Danan/.

Mardukas walked back to the microphone at the podium. "Everyone...a moment of silence.../please/." he requested, turning to the large sculpture and saluting it.

Following his lead, everyone else gathered there saluted as well.

After a few moments, Mardukas lowered his arm and turned back to the microphone. "Thanks to Lord Mallory, the /TDD-2/ is fully built and operational after passing her sea trials under my temporary command. She is now berthed at the dock waiting to be christened with a proper name once MITHRIL agents find a Whispered to be her proper Captain...That is all for now. Everyone.../dismissed/."

Everyone in attendance dispersed and went their way to return to their duties...leaving the sculpture behind where it was. Attached to the base of the sculpture was a memorial plaque that read:

The Heroic Crew

Of The Final Voyage Of The

/TUATHA DE DANAN/

Teletha Testarossa

Sosuke Sagara

Kaname Chidori

Kurz Weber

Melissa Mao

THANK YOU ALL

For Saving The World

From Certain Destruction

GODSPEED

()()()

/Three years earlier...in the bridge aboard the TUATHA DE DANAN.../

"What an /adventure/ this has been." Kurz mused with a bit of sadness.

"Yeah, too bad it had to end for us.../permanently/." Melissa groused with a bittersweet frown on her face.

"It appears we will be able to avert a global catastrophe so it is not a problem." Sosuke analyzed in his distinct monotone.

Kaname wanted to smack Sosuke with her /harisen/ one last time /but just couldn't do it/. Maybe he was joking as a form of gallows humor? Well two could play at that game! "You said it, Sosuke. We'll all be /finally, permanently free/ of unwanted, unsolicited commercial mail of both the electronic and dead-tree postal-mailed kinds." she quipped with a bit of a dour smile.

Everyone chuckled for a few moments before Kurz spoke again in a serious urgent tone. "Tessa, you better /push the button/ before it's too late." he prompted.

"Quite right, Mr. Weber." replied Teletha, all business and ready to perform her last act as Captain. She tapped away at the keyboard of her computer terminal built in her command chair for a few moments. When done, she rested her finger on the ENTER key. "It has been an /honor/ serving with you all as your Captain." she stated with somber appreciation.

"Aye, aye, Captain." the others chorused in unison, voicing their affirmation of the final statement they would all hear from their commanding officer...and close friend.

Teletha closed her eyes-as had the others with her unbeknownst to her-and pressed the ENTER key...

()()()

/24 hours earlier on a remote island somewhere in one of the world's oceans.../

Teletha stumbled out of the thick foliage and collapsed to the beach on her hands and knees panting for breath.

Kalanin rushed to her side to help her up to her feet. "Captain, your nose is bleeding..." he noted gently, handing her his handkerchief.

Teletha held Kalanin's handkerchief to her nose for a few moments then pulled it away. She looked at the bloodstain on it for a moment then out to the /Tuatha De Danan/ floating a few hundred meters from the beach. "My brother Leonard is /dead/...but not before I was able to wrest the details of an /unprecedented/ act of terrorism from his mind. Let's hurry back to the ship-I /must/ act to prevent it!".

With due haste, both MITHRIL officers climbed into the small motorboat waiting for them on the beach and speed back to the /Danan/...

()()()

Kalanin opened the bulkhead door to the bridge and stepped aside to allow Teletha to enter before him.

Mardukas snapped to attention as he stood next to Teletha's empty command chair. "Captain on deck." he alerted.

"Thank you, Mr. Mardukas." Teletha replied, as she walked to her command chair and sat down. "Everyone, clear the bridge-except for Mr. Mardukas and Mr. Kalinin-and await further orders elsewhere aboard the ship at your own choosing." she ordered in a clipped, yet polite tone.

All the other bridge personnel got up and filed off the bridge. As the last one left, Kalinin closed the bulkhead door.

Mardukas arched an eyebrow. "Madam Captain, may I ask /why/ you cleared the bridge?"

Teletha's reply was firm and resolute. "Mr. Mardukas, you and Mr. Kalinin are to bring Sosuke, Kaname, Kurz, and Melissa here to the bridge. It is a matter of /global importance/. At that time, I will explain /everything/ to all of you."

Without another word, both men left the bridge to obey the order given to them by their young, beautiful commanding officer...

()()()

/Later.../

Teletha didn't waste words-there wasn't any time to waste! "Thanks to my late brother, all life on Planet Earth faces /extinction!/ I can stop his mad plan but I /need/ help to do so. I need a skeleton crew to help me sail the /Danan/ to a deserted atoll about 2400 kilometers from here to destroy the biological doomsday weapon he had sunk to the bottom of a lagoon there. It is set to go off 24 hours after the time of his death."

"If it does, it will spread, contaminate, and kill /all/ aquatic life on this planet." Sosuke concluded in a matter-of-fact tone.

Remembering information from her life sciences classes at high school from a few years back, Kaname added, "That would /destroy/ the entire biosphere of Earth! Most of the oxygen we /breathe/ is generated by the algae in all the world's oceans /alone!/"

"And now Tessa has to use the /Danan's/ self-destruct sequence to /nuke/ the thing from overhead. It's the /only/ way be sure its destroyed-thus /saving/ the world in the process." Melissa mused in a serious tone.

"Well, I hope MITHRIL doesn't get into trouble for violating any test ban treaties..." Kurz chukled grimly.

Teletha then clasped her hands before her in supplication. "I /could/ order you four to accompany me on this.../mission/...but I am /asking/ you to volunteer instead...to make a shared, rational transaction with me...five lives for /billions/..."

After a few moments of thought, Sosuke, Kaname, Kurz, and Melissa walked over to Teletha and stood around her silently.

Teletha closed her eyes, bowed her head, and sighed with bittersweet relief. "Thank you for standing with me, you guys, in my time of need." A moment later, she lowered her arms to her sides, raised her head, and looked at Kalanin and Mardukas with /unswerving/ focus and dedication as befiting her station as Captain of her vessel. "Mr. Mardukas...Mr. Kalinin...You have /exactly three hours/ starting from now to have the remaining crew-including yourselves-abandon ship and relocate yourselves to the island to await pickup by MITHRIL. Dismantle and take /everything/ you can with you except food for five people for a day and the means to prepare and serve it, and all shipboard systems /absolutely critical/ to the success of this mission. I want the /Danan/ stripped down as close to her double hull as possible in order to make the /best/ speed possible to our final destination."

Mardukas paused, then nodded silently-a grave, serious look on his face.

"Understood, Captain." acknowledged Kalinin. "And Arbalest?"

"Take it to the island with you intact...it can be a memorial for Sosuke once you get back to HQ on Merida Island." Teletha directed.

"The crew /will/ want an explanation, Captain. What will I tell them?" asked Mardukas.

"Tell them a /dire/ emergency came up that had to be dealt with by a small task force within 24 hours...Tell them /everything/ after we dive and leave." replied Teletha, with a thin, imperceptable smile, pleased at her 'deception'.

Mardukas smiled in kind back at Teletha. Such falsehoods were customary when needed in the military. And in any case, the rest of the crew would learn the /whole/ truth at the proper time. "Understood, Captain." Mardukas acknowledged.

After a moment of silent reflection and contemplation, Kalanin and Mardukas stood at attention and saluted which Teletha and the others returned in kind.

After hastily saying their goodbyes to one another, Kalinin and Mardukas left the bridge to carry out the /last/ order Teletha gave them. The bulkhead door closed with a resonant /clank/, causing the the tiny bridge crew to pause for a moment of reflection and introspection...

The moment past, Teletha then walked over to her command chair and sat down. "Kaname, you have the helm."

"Aye, Captain." Kaname replied. She stepped to the front of the bridge and sat down in the chair in front of the /Danan's/ navigational console. With a smile, she grasped the steering yoke in front of her in both hands.

"Not /yet/ Kaname, check the /Danan's/ navigational readiness first before we get under way." Teletha countered gently. "Sosuke, man the sonar station."

"Yes, Ma'am." answered Sosuke. He sat down in front of the sonar console and began to check it over.

"Kurz, Tactical for you." Teletha directed.

"I'm on it." Kurz replied heartily. He took a seat at the Tactical station and began to check its systems for readiness and any malfunctions.

"Mellisa, man the remote Engineering console here on the bridge." Teletha requested.

"Sure thing, Teletha." answered Melissa as she walked over to said console and sat down in front of it. After glancing it over for a moment, she added in a jaunty tone, "Palladium reactor is on standby, Tessa. Just give the word and I'll let the big teakettle amidships build up steam for our journey and route it into the /Danan's/ drivetrain."

Teletha smiled, typing away at her computer terminal to check the readines of other systems inside the /Danan/ before they got under way. "Understood. Keep checking and rechecking systems everyone." she urged in a gentle, pleasant tone...

()()()

/In the bridge, 3 hours later.../

"Captain, Kalanin and I are on the island with the others." reported Mardukas over the ship's comm system. "Good journey and Godspeed."

"Thank you, Mr. Mardukas, /Danan/ out." replied Teletha, closing the channel. Blowing a deep, cleansing sigh, she added. "Melissa, bring the reactor online and engage the drivetrain."

Melissa pressed buttons and turned levers. "Acknowledged, Kaname, you should show green across the nav console in a few moments."

Kaname watched several indicator lights on the navigational console in front of her light up green. "Acknowledged, Melissa. Ready to get under way, Tessa." she stated eagerly.

"Sosuke, Kurz, /stay sharp!/" Teletha warned.

"Aye, Captain." both young men choroused.

Teletha then turned her attention to the turquoise-haired helmswoman in front of her. "Kaname, ahead one-third. Five degree down angle to minus 30 meters. Level off there then all ahead flank speed." Teletha ordered resolutely.

"Aye, Tessa." Kaname piped up as she adjusted the throttle on the nav console above the steering yoke. Grasping the steering yoke in both hands, she gently pushed it away from her. A moment later, the /Danan/ responded to Kaname's actions and veered downward into the sea as it headed off on its /last/ errand of destiny...

"Melissa, watch the reactor performance like a hawk. We don't want to blow up before we /have/ to blow up." Teletha chortled with dark mirth.

"Will do, Tessa." acknowledged Melissa with a grin.

Teletha stood up and loosened her tie. "Ok everyone, I'm going to go prepare food for all of us in the galley. Kaname, you have the conn. If anything comes up out of the ordinary, Whisper to me and I'll tell you what to do or come back to the bridge on the double if need be."

"Aye, Tessa-and thanks-I'm /starved/." Kaname replied eagerly.

"I'm sure we /all are/." Teletha beamed as she departed the bridge and headed for the galley...

()()()

On the island, the crew of the /Danan/ left behind on the beach watched the submarine slip beneath the waves and recede from view.

Mardukas turned around to face the others and brought a megaphone he held up to his mouth and spoke into it. "All right people, now I can tell you the /whole/ story...Captain Tes-...Teletha, Sosuke, Kaname, Kurz, and Melissa...are all off on a /mad dash/ of sorts to /literally/ save the world from /total destruction!/ If they are successful, we will see the sun rise twice about 21 hours from now. A day after that, MITHRIL forces should show up to pick us up...And if for /some reason/ they fail to show up, we have enough manpower and supplies to either stay here on 'Teletha's Isle' indefinitely or try to set sail for Merida instead. That is all for now. Get some rest. That's an order. Dismissed."

()()()

/21 hours later, just before dawn.../

Everyone stood on the beach facing out to sea wearing dark sunglasses.

"Any time now," murmurred Kalinin.

Mardukas nodded slightly and solemnly, standing next to Kalinin in front of the others on the beach.

Off in the distance, a /very/ bright light crested above the border of sea and sky for several seconds before it slowly disappeared from whence it came...

Everyone saluted...

Someone played a recording of 'Taps' over the megaphone as the sun began to rise over the horizon...

(X)

"Well, /that/ was anticlimatic." Kurz grumbled, opening his eyes, "Tessa, did you push the button?"

Teletha opened her eyes and looked at her computer terminal...

TDD: SELF-DESTRUCT

Enter Self-Destruct Passcode: ******

Re-Enter Self-Destruct Passcode To Confirm: ******

Enter Self-Destruct Time Delay In Seconds: 0

WARNING! SELF-DESTRUCT IS NOW READY! Press ENTER key to activate self-destruct or any other key to abort and exit.

! SELF-DESTRUCT ACTIVATED !

TDD: Welcome, all of you. Please come up here. _

Teletha then looked down at her hand and saw her finger still held down the ENTER key. "/I did/...the self-destruct sequence /failed/ or...Hey, everyone, come look at /this!/" she exclaimed, lifting her hand away from the keyboard...

()()()

The five MITHRIL agents were standing at the bottom of a ladder amidships that lead up to a hatch on the top of the /Danan/.

"You girls wait here. Sosuke and I will scope things out." Kurz directed, "After you, Kashim."

Sosuke paused then started climbing up the ladder with Kurz close behind him. Reaching the top, Sosuke spun the wheel to unseal the hatch and fliped it aside on its hinges to open it. White light poured down the hatch casting Sosuke in sillhouette.

"What do you see?" asked Kurz impatiently.

"A ceiling." Sosuke replied, deadpan.

Kurz was puzzled! "Anything else?" he added inquisitively.

"Looks like an office of some sort." Sosuke elaborated, climbing all the way up through the hatch.

Kurz looked up into the round disk of light above him. "Need help?" he asked.

"Not a problem...It is /safe/." Sosuke concluded confidently.

Kurz climbed up through the open hatch to join Sosuke...

()()()

At the bottom of the ladder, Melissa grew impatient! "You two OK up there!" she yelled up the ladder in concern.

Kurz called down in an inviting, loud voice. "C'mon up, girls, you're gonna /like/ this!"

Melissa, Kaname, and Teletha climed up the ladder to join Sosuke and Kurz...

()()()

Teletha cautiously poked her head above the hatch opening and looked around.

"Welcome, Teletha Testarossa, please climb up and stand next to Melissa Mao." directed a Voice in a gentle Tone.

Teletha did as she was Asked. Across the way on the other side of the open hatch, Sosuke, Kaname, and Kurz stood in a group. The five of them stood in front of a Desk behind which a Man sat shrouded in shadow-backlit by Light that poured through the large Window behind Him...

"You have all done /well/. I am /most/ pleased." He said, Smiling warmly at them.

"Thank you sir, may I ask who you are?" asked Sosuke in an even monotone.

"Yeah, and how do you know all our names?" added Kaname with eager inquisitiveness.

"Are you some kind of mind reader?" Kurz put in skeptically. With a smirk, he crossed his arms over his chest.

He could hardly contain His Mirth but 'played along' with them. "You could say that...I created all of your minds long ago /before/ each of you were even born."

Reverent fear then took hold in Melissa. "Then...that would make You..." she began tentatively.

"/Kami-Sama/." Teletha concluded in a whisper of revalation in wide-eyed awe and wonder.

Kami-Sama Smiled again. "Yes, Miss Testarossa, you are /quite/ correct.../I Am *That* 'I Am'/" He Replied.

Tears began to flow from Teletha's grey eyes as she bowed her head and sank to one knee in adoration and thanksgiving. "Thank you, Sir Kami-Sama, for helping us /save/ our world from /certain destruction!/" she sobbed hesitantly, trying to restrain the /full/ outpouring of emotions she was now feeling.

The others began to feel the same way themselves. As one, their actions mirrored Teletha's. "Agreed." they chorused simultaneously in a somber tone of contemplation.

Kami-Sama continued, "You have all served MITHRIL /well/ as its agents battling evil when you were all alive. Would you all like to continue that work in your afterlives as agents in service to /Me/ against the same evil that continues to threaten the Existence of My Creation?"

After a few moments of solemn reflection and contemplation, they made their decision. "Yes, we do." they stated in unison.

"Then arise Teletha Testarossa, Melissa Mao, Kaname Chidori, Kurz Weber, and Sosuke Sagara. You five are now /My/ agents of good as I have placed you. May you go forth to bring honor to yourselves and to /Me/ with your words and your deeds." Pronounced Kami-Sama.

Slowly, the ex-MITHRIL agents stood up and looked around at each other...

"What the-our clothes /changed/ colors to blue and white, Tessa!" Melissa exclaimed in surprise. Everything she wore from her muscle shirt down to her boots changed colors to white trimmed in blue.

"Fortunate for you two, us three are dressed in these drab, grey clothes." Kurz snorted with a /hint/ of envy.

"I don't see a problem, Kurz." Sosuke mused evenly. "I find our attire sufficient. It covers our nakedness which would shame and embarass us were we so exposed as individuals when not engaged in consentual, intimate relations in private."

At that, Kaname angrily jumped to conclusions, whipped out her /harisen/ from her pocketspace, and swung it down on Sosuke's head with all the force she could muster. "Sosuke! You /perv!/" she yelled.

The /harisen/ phased harmlessly through Sosukes body!

"I only speak the truth, Miss Chidori." Sosuke replied evenly without missing a beat.

As Kaname recovered from her swing, her /harisen/ came into view. She stopped to admire it in awe and wonder. It had been transformed from white, stiff paper into grey, lightweight, enchanted metal. After a moment, it folded flat and became like a sword. Slowly, Kaname lowered the /harisen/ to her side.

Kami-Sama addressed Kaname in her time of wondrous befuddlement in a serious Tone-her /harisen/ disappearing from her grasp and returning back to her pocketspace. "Miss Chidori, your /harisen/ has been transformed by /Me/ into a /mighty/ weapon for you to weild to smite the forces of evil with." After a moment, He added Playfully. "It will temporarily revert back to its original form and function only if Guardian Of Heaven Sosuke Sagara does something 'boneheaded' or otherwise make you /righteously indignant/ after a womanly fashion for just cause."

"Guardian Of Heaven?" Kurz repeated inquisitively, "What is that?"

Kami-Sama explained at length. "A member of one of two forces for good in service to /Me/. The Guardians Of Heaven are tasked to be /My/ representatives in the field whom I or my Daughter Belldandy send forth as needed. They are assigned tasks that would overwhelm members of /My/ other force for good...the /Valkyries/."

Teletha piped up. "I'm.../a Valkyrie?/" she noted hesitantly with a hint of disbelief, raising the fingertips of her hand hesitantly to her lips, causing the cuff of her uniform jacket to slide down a bit. Glancing at her exposed wrist, she saw a shiny silver charm bracelet encircling it. Dangling from the fine, sparkling chain of the bracelet was a small, gleaming silver charm.../shaped in the form of the Tuatha De Danan!/ She stared at it for a few moments thinking back to how faithfully the ship she designed, had built on her behalf, and commanded, helped her on her final voyage with the others to save her world from imminent, global catastrophe...

A moment later, Melissa grinned broadly and clapped Teletha soundly across the shoulders with her arm-lurching her out of her bittersweet reverie. "That you are, darlin'...just like /me/ now!..." Seeing Teletha's bracelet, she leaned in for a closer look. "/Whoa!/.../Ooo!/...Shiny.../Pretty!/" she gushed with delight.

"You think so?...It /is/, isn't it?...Just like your ID tags." Teletha mused with awe and wonder, glancing over at Melissa. Fingering the bracelet with her other hand, she gently pulled the bracelet around her wrist with a bit of a frown on her face. "That's strange.../there's no clasp/...I /won't/ be able to take it off..."

Something clicked in Melissa's mind and she patted the base of her throat. She smiled as she felt her ID tags underneath her fingertips. "The excess chain disappeared-my dogtags are a necklace now...more like a loose-fitting choker." With a smirk, she added, "Tessa, we both now wear /permanent/ reminders of our past lives that also double for us as medals of honor of sorts."

"You are /quite/ correct, Valkyrie Drill Seargent Major Melissa Mao." Kami-Sama addressed warmly, finding the full title He conferred on the violet-eyed ex-MITHRIL agent to be /quite/ a Mouthful.

Melissa snapped to attention, the heels of her blue-laced white boots clicking together. "Yes, Sir! Awaiting further orders, /Sir!/" she barked enthusiastically.

"For your first assignment as a Valkyrie, you are to transform Teletha Testarossa in mind and body through physical and mental training to truly become in her own eyes.../a Valkyrie/. I have given you help for this task. Look in your pocket."

Melissa looked down at the white fatigues she now wore that sported a blue stripe down the outside of each pantleg. She opened a storage pocket on one leg and pulled out a small white pen and a small white book with blue trim around it. A peculiar, almost maniacal grin crossed her face as she read the title on the cover of the book. "Will do, Sir.../HOO-RAH!/"

Kami-Sama addressed Teletha warmly to reassure her. "Miss Testarossa, you are now /more/ than a Valkyrie...you are now a /Captain/ in /My/ Valkyrie Navy. Your past duties as captain of the /Tuatha De Danan/ in service to MITHRIL will serve you well now as Valkyrie Captain of the /K.S.S. Tessaract/. The /Tessaract/ is My gift to you to use and enjoy with the other crew aboard her when not out on a mission for /Me/."

Teletha turned her head and looked at the sleeve of her white and blue-trimmed uniform jacket that covered her upper arm. The crest of MITHRIL was gone-replaced by the beautiful blue, white, and silver crest of the Valkyrie Corps. "Understood Sir...Thank You."

Kami-Sama continued, giving the group their first group orders in service to Him. "You five are the /Tessaract's/ starting crew. Familiarize yourself with her on your thousand-hour pleasure cruise down the River to the Crystal Sea. Once there, feel free to explore Its secrets and wonders to behold in Its crystal-clear Depths..."

The five of them stood at attention, formally giving Kami-Sama the respect due Him after recieving their first order from Him as a group. "Yes, sir." they chorused, saluting Him.

A moment later, Sosuke, Kurz, Melissa, and Kaname proceeded to climb back down the hatch to board the /Tessaract/

Teletha clasped her hands to her chest-revealing her charm bracelet again, closed her eyes, and bowed to Him. "Thank You again, Kami-Sama."

"You are /most/ welcome, Valkyrie Navy Captain Teletha Testarossa." Kami-Sama replied with a Smile.

Teletha straightened up, opened her eyes, walked over to the hatchway in the Floor of His Office, and climbed down into the Submarine that bore her name. Taking hold of the hatch, she closed it and spun the wheel from the inside to secure it.

Teletha joined the others in the bridge and the tiny crew of the /Tessaract/ set sail on their pleasure cruise at the behest of Kami-Sama, their Commander-In-Chief, to relax and enjoy themselves at the begining of their shared journey through Eternity in His Presence...

(X) 17. Prelude (X)

/A seaside beach, somewhere in Japan.../

The Three Norn Sisters occupied Themselves with activites that interested Them Individually during some Leisure Time Granted to Them by Their Father...

Belldandy, dressed in white, blue and gold Beachwear, Prepared a Meal She and Her Two Sisters would Partake in. She Waited patiently for Her Elder Sister Urd to Bring the final ingredient for the pot of Food She Stirred on a small campfire.

Skuld was some distance away Forming a large object in the sand. The red and white Swimsuit She Wore contrasted sharply with the wet, brown-colored sand that surrounded Her.

Out beyond the beach and surf, Urd Emerged from under the sea and Waded toward shore-a Tan-Skinned, Platinum-Haired Siren from The Deep attired in a skimpy, black and white Bikini. Around Her Waist, She wore a white Belt to which was attached a sheathed dive Knife and a net Bag filled with clams. She took hold of the dive Mask and Snorkel on Her Face in both Hands and gently pulled Them off Her Head. "That was /fun/...foraging for Food like that!" She Chirped with a Smile, holding Her Mask by its elastic strap in one Hand.

Skuld paused and turned to Look at Urd. "Big Sister, You Watch /too many/ spy movies...Now You're /dressing/ like the characters in them!" smirked the Goddess of the Future.

Urd Blushed for a moment as She Walked ashore toward Skuld. "Guilty as charged, Kiddo-but no worries...The sky isn't falling...It's what I like to do when I get Time Off from time to time..." The Goddess of the Past stepped next to Skuld and Looked at Her sand sculpture. "Kids /usually/ make sand castles when on a beach...So what is this, a giant ball of some sorts?"

"Guess again." Skuld Replied in an ominous fashion, continuing Her Work on the sand sculpture.

Urd Looked closer. "This ball is covered in thin tubes of sand...how were You able to Do that?"

"Very carefully." Skuld Added in a peculiar monotone she heard used in a movie She Saw quite some time ago...

After a moment, everything clicked into place for Urd from Her Store of Memories. She Gulped. "Skuld...is /this/ a sand sculpture of.../The Gadget/?" Her Heart Skipped a Beat.

"Yes...it /is/, Urd-San." Skuld Replied solemnly, Stepping back from Her Work to Admire It.

"W-/Why/, Skuld?..." Urd Asked with utter Concern.

Skuld Frowned at Her Creation. "Fear and necessity created this.../thing/. Its test and hasty later deployment and use caused Mankind /more/ grief and problems than it solved.../including/ the peaceful use of the principle that makes it.../work/."

Urd paused for a moment of Reflection. She then placed a Hand on Skuld's Shoulder gently. "Understood, Skuld. We'll be Eating soon...Come..." Urd then Grasped Skuld by the Hand and drew Her away from the sculpture and toward Belldandy's Cooking...

()()()

/In Kami-Sama's Office in the Heavens.../

Mouse in Hand, Kami-Sama Clicked through various folders that appeared on the Screen of His Desktop Workstation until He got to the one He Wanted and highlighted it. "Darkness will overshadow you but not overcome you...for out of the depths of your innermost being shall come an all-encompasing light...The light of /love/..." He Pronounced in a soft Voice.

()()()

/Later.../

The Three Norns stood in front of Skuld's sand sculpture after their Meal...

"Here, Skuld." Prompted Urd, dropping two small objects into the Palms of Skuld's Hands. "I came across these in the pile of empty clam shells. I didn't have the Heart to return them to the sea with the others."

"Oh /My/, they /are/ pretty, Skuld." Belldandy Gushed with a Smile.

"They are..." Skuld Agreed, Looking at the small pink and yellow shells in Her Hands. She Knelt down, Buried them in the sand at the base of Her sculpture, and Stood Up.

"Why did you do that, Kiddo?" Urd Asked, puzzled.

"I don't know, Big Sister, it felt like the /right/ thing to Do." Skuld Replied.

Urd Looked around. "Just as well...Something tells Me this place will be filled with lots of people someday...Someone will find them then..."

()()()

Kami-Sama clicked the folder He Selected to Rename it. Using the Keyboard, He changed the folder name from 'Yasuka Ohara' to 'Masane Amaha'. He Paused for a moment of Reflection then Pressed the ENTER Key...

()()()

The Norns felt the ground vibrate beneath Their Feet. They Took a step back and watched 'The Gadget' collapse into a large, cone-shaped pile of wet sand-further burying the seashells...

"Earthquake." Urd stated in a no-nonsense Tone.

"Urd-Sama...Bell-San...We better return...We /will/ be needed..." Skuld Suggested seriously.

"Come...Let's go now.../quickly/..." Belldandy Urged gently.

The Three Sisters joined Hands together and disappeared from the beach in a large Sphere of White Light that winked out of existence a moment later...

Some time after that, a huge tidal wave appeared and crashed into the beach-flattening the mound of sand that covered the seashells and washed away Belldandy's cooking site...

()()()

Seconds earlier, in another part of Japan, on the outskirts of the city of Tokyo, the fate of two lives became intertwined with each other when they were spared from certain death by the quick, benevolent action of an ancient sentient artifiact that was with them by chance as it passed through the mists of history-a /highly/ coveted and sought after source of power and strength among certain members of Mankind...

(X) 18. Pledge (X)

/Later...At the Tree...In the Heavens.../

Hild stood underneath the Tree. She took a moment to Look up at the Fruit hanging above Her Head and Sighed bittersweetly. She realized She Lost more than She Gained with her Act of disobedience long, long ago-

"Hild, it is /I/, Come forth." sounded a Voice in a firm, commanding Tone.

The Daimakaicho Looked down and over across the way and Saw Kami-Sama Step out from behind the Treetrunk. She Walked over to Him...

()()()

Hild Reached up and Touched the golden Placard with Her Hand. "If only I had Obeyed..." She Murmurred forlornly, Reading again its unheeded Warning for Her. She lowered Her Hand to Her Side. "You Called for Me, Kami-Sama?"

"The Artifact has awakened within the latest host It has chosen." He Said in a matter-of-fact Tone.

"Indeed, I Detected it as well." Hild Replied.

Kami-Sama Frowned subtly at Hild. "Then You /persuaded/ the Artifact to possess the host for a moment some time after the awakening."

Hild Blushed delicately with Embarassment. She Bowed Her Head in Apeasement. "My Apologies...I Overstepped the boundaries of my Sphere of Influence within the mortal world."

Kami-Sama Graced His Ex-Mate with a warm Smile. "My Three Daughters, The Norns of Fate, are Doing Their part to limit the spread and intensity of conflict between Both Our Realms. This /would not/ have been possible without Urd's Help.../Thank you/."

At that, Tears began to well up in Hild's Eyes and drip down Her Cheeks. "Y-You're welcome...Kami-Sama!" She Exclaimed thankfully.

Kami-Sama Reached into the Sleeve of His Robe with one Hand and pulled out a Handkerchief and a small thin white rectangle of resilient Paper and Gave them to Hild. "Until the next time we meet, Hild..." He Said ominously. He then Turned and Walked behind the Treetrunk and Departed...

Hild Used the Handkerchief to Dab away Her Tears with one Hand while She Examined the piece of Paper She Held with the other Hand. "This looks like a business card that the mortals on Earth use to contact and interconnect with one another...Sir Kami-Sama.../Hmm/." She turned It over to Read the back and Smiled at what She Saw. "I Am *That* 'I Am'"

(X) 19. Aid (X)

/In Kami-Sama's Office in the Heavens.../

Kami-Sama was Tending to the Affairs of State on His Desktop Workstation when a Window opened on the Screen that Got His Attention...

KAMI-CHAT v1.0

"We got it right the /first/ time!" - D-BUG and KAMI-CHAT Dev Team

[HellQueen has entered chat.]

HellQueen: The Artifact's host is despairing unto death and needs Your help /right now!/

IAM: Thank you...Helping the host now...

HellQueen: You're welcome. :)

[HellQueen has left chat.]

Kami-Sama used His Mouse to minimize the chat Window. He then Navigated through the folder system to get to the one named 'Masane Amaha' and Clicked inside of it. Opening a copy of LOGOS, He used It to open the 'hope_txt' file there and began Typing at the top of the file. "I am with you /always/. You are /not/ alone. Do not give up." He Pronounced solemnly, saving the file and exiting LOGOS. After a moment's Thought, He unminimized the chat Window...

IAM: ChatWith PoleAxe

[PoleAxe has entered chat.]

PoleAxe: Reporting for duty!

IAM: Keep an eye on the Artifact's host's child. Protect the child from mortal danger if /absoluely/ needed until further notice.

PoleAxe: Acknowledged!

[PoleAxe has left chat.]

Kami-Sama minimized the KAMI-CHAT Window. "Grace and courage be with you, Masane Amaha...all the days of your life...for you /will/ dearly need them..." He Pronounced solemnly with resolute determination...

(X) 20. Exit (X)

/Later...In Kami-Sama's Office in the Heavens.../

Kami-Sama was Tending to the Affairs of State on His Desktop Workstation when the KAMI-CHAT Window He minimized earlier maximized itself on the Screen and Got His Attention...

[ElegantAdmin has entered chat.]

ElegantAdmin: The 'Reina Soho' process is at 10% vitality and falling fast...

IAM: Thank you for keeping watch over the list of processes I have given you.

ElegantAdmin: You're welcome. :)

IAM: Like Mother, like daughter...

ElegantAdmin: :Blush: Seems that way... ^^;

[ElegantAdmin has left chat.]

IAM: ChatWith TeaAndCookies

[TeaAndCookies has entered chat.]

TeaAndCookies: Hello, how may I help You?

IAM: Ever dutiful, I am /well/ pleased...Report to the Meadow /at once/. A mortal is about to exit their earthly life and enter into My Kingdom There. Escort them to My Office as soon as possible.

TeaAndCookies: Yes, it shall be done by me as You have Said.

[TeaAndCookies has left chat.]

(X) 21. Turn (X)

/Later...In Kami-Sama's Office in the Heavens.../

[HellQueen has entered chat.]

HellQueen: A Heads-Up for You: A mortal named 'Maria' has shifted alignment...She has become a force of /pure, unmitigated evil/...So much so, she could /easily/ become My apprentice...if she /only/ had restraint and finesse. Her single-mindedness will bound to be her undoing...

IAM: Understood. I will Take the necessary precautions.

[HellQueen has left chat.]

/Later.../

[ElegantAdmin has entered chat.]

ElegantAdmin: The 'Artifact' process has just re-spiked the utilization of the 'Masane Amaha' process! Looks like she needed help and the Artifact gave it to her when she needed it.

IAM: Understood. Thank you.

ElegantAdmin: :)

[ElegantAdmin has left chat.]

/Later.../

[ElegantAdmin has entered chat.]

ElegantAdmin: The 'Artifact' process has helped the 'Masane Amaha' process save the day yet again with another utilization re-spike...However, once 'Masane' returned to normal utilization, her vitality slipped below 25% and she passed out after she hugged 'Rihoko Amaha'. During the crisis, the 'Artifact' went after 'Rihoko' before 'Masane' managed to change Its mind. Thankfully, the mortal 'Reiji Takayama' was with her at the time and called for an ambulance to whisk her away to the nearest hospital...It looks like 'Masane' is reaching the end of her mortal coil and is about to join the choir invisible...;_;

IAM: For her, at the appointed time, the adventure is just begining...

ElegantAdmin: Glad to see D-BUG's fondness for a certain group of mortal Sci-Fi films rub off on You! :D

IAM: Indeed... ^^;

[ElegantAdmin has left chat.]

IAM: ChatWith HellQueen

[HellQueen has entered chat.]

HellQueen: Hello.

IAM: I want to Meet with you at a later date at the Tree. It concerns the Artifact and the host.

HellQueen: As You wish. Until then...

[HellQueen has left chat.]

(X) 22. Anguish (X)

/Later...At the Treetrunk...In the Heavens.../

"I have seen the Artifact's host go through anger, denial, and barganing in the past...Just now, she passed through depression and is now in a state of acceptance of her fate." Hild Observed in a somewhat detached Tone.

Kami-Sama Smiled at Hild. "Your psychological Assessment of Ms. Amaha is /quite/ correct...except for her /final/ destination."

With an Impish Smile of Her Own, Hild Feigned Outrage. "You would /deprive/ Me of her honored citizenship in the Underworld for all Eternity after her demise?...You /must/ have something better in store for her when the time comes."

"Indeed, I /Do/." Kami-Sama Replied, "So duly consider her /off limits/ when her time on Earth comes to an end, her mortal lifespan cut, and she enters her reward in her afterlife in My Kingdom as a /highly/ honored citizen of the Overworld.

"Understood, Kami-Sama...Until the /next/ time that we meet..." Hild Acknowledged in a serious, unfeigned Tone, fading away from the presence of Kami-Sama.

Kami-Sama Smirked. "You Learn Fast, Hild...Until the Day of Your Disobedience, You were /truly/ Worthy of being My Mate..." He then Stepped behind the Treetrunk and Disappeared...

(X) 23. Farewell (X)

/Later...In Kami-Sama's Office in the Heavens.../

[ElegantAdmin has entered chat.]

ElegantAdmin: The 'Masane Amaha' process is back to 100% vitality but she appears to be at her limit...She cannot take much more of this... :(

IAM: She won't have to...her time is almost at hand...Be sure to give her whatever resources she needs from the WTCS until further notice...Right now, she is trying to say 'goodbye' to the child in her care. Have the WTCS give her a /nudge/ in the right direction from the bottom of her heart... :)

ElegantAdmin: Understood...Though she is a substitute host, she has weilded the Artifact with /great/ honor and skill...Earth /sure/ could use more champions like her...;_;

IAM: Agreed, but now it is about time for her to leave her Earthly life as a legend and forge a new destiny in her afterlife that /will/ bring her /great honor...forever/...

ElegantAdmin: As You have written it, so may it be done...

[ElegantAdmin has left chat.]

(X) 24. Lamp (X)

/Later...In Kami-Sama's Office in the Heavens.../

[ElegantAdmin has entered chat.]

ElegantAdmin: This has got to be Masane Amaha's /last/ assault...she said so herself...YOU GO GIRL! WOO HOO! (^_^) I am under /direct orders/ to help you 'blow some /shi^W/stuff/ up' until further notice /so knock yourself out!/ :o)

IAM: ChatWith PoleAxe, TeaAndCookies, D-BUG

[PoleAxe, TeaAndCookies, D-BUG has entered chat.]

PoleAxe: The host's child is currently safe indoors among friends. Standing by...

TeaAndCookies: Oh My! Ms. Amaha's Thread of Fate is almost at its maximum length!

D-BUG: Ready with the Shears in Hand. Just say the Word...

IAM: Everyone stay /alert/ and stand by for My Instructions...

/Later.../

PoleAxe: The child went off alone to be with the host. Though she can't see me, I am now by her side at /every/ moment. Standing by...

TeaAndCookies: Mr. Takayama is /truly/ being a father to little Rihoko. He dropped /everything/ he was doing to rush off to find her in her hour of need. I Think he would make a /great/ Guardian of Heaven someday...

IAM: /That/ is for him to decide at the proper time.

TeaAndCookies: Of course...I did not mean to sound presumptuous.

IAM: That is all right, you were just 'voicing' your opinion-no harm done. :)

TeaAndCookies: Thank you.

/Later.../

ElegantAdmin: Good thing I 'patched' the host into her child through the Artifact when I did. What a /power surge/ she created to draw away those /bad/ robot weapons when the child called her for help. The host is /definitely/ a Grade-A Mama Bear...She's basically doing all of this to protect her! Saving the city and its residents from Maria and the I-Weapon horde is /gravy/.

PoleAxe: The child is on the move again. I am with her every step of the way. Standing by...

/Later.../

PoleAxe: The child's father is approaching her. Standing by...

IAM: You have done well, PoleAxe, thank you. Leave the child in his care. Your next task is to escort the host to My Office as soon as possible after she arrives in My Kingdom. I will Contact you later with the coordinates of her arrival site.

PoleAxe: Yes, Sir!

IAM: Stand by, TeaAndCookies, D-BUG

TeaAndCookies: Yes.

D-BUG: Acknowledged.

Kami-Sama Picked up the phone on His Desk and Made an important phone call...

()()()

/In the WTCS Control Room.../

"Hello, Peorth, this is Kami-Sama."

"Yes, Sir," replied The Rose Goddess.

"I have a Priority-1 task for you to do /right now/."

"Yes Sir, what is it?"

"A woman named Masane Amaha is about to depart her earthly life...the very /instant/ she dies, bring her and the light around her into My Kingdom...Peorth...you /must/ not fail! An instant after that, Ms. Amaha's physical body and an item given to her by her daughter Rihoko will disintegrate into /pure energy/...I am /not/ looking forward to rescuing her from that state...she /doesn't/ deserve such a fate after all she has been through in the past...Do I make Myself /understood?/"

Peorth Gulped. "Clearly."

"Once she is rescued, I will Retrieve the item from the energy mass and Give it back to Rihoko."

"Understood, Sir." Peorth Acknowledged.

"That is all for now. Goodbye, Peorth."

"Thank You, Sir, and goodbye."

A moment later, Peorth hung up the phone. Pausing a moment to prepare Herself for the Task Entrusted to Her, She Raised Her Hands into the air. A Keyboard and Monitor fashioned from Rays of Light appeared under Peorth's Fingertips. The Rose Goddess set to Work. "Ere, Ex, /do not/ Disturb Me until further notice...Understood?"

Having overheard the ensuing conversation and /fully/ understanding what was at stake, the two console Operators simply placed Their Hands on Their Laps, Nodded Their Heads, and Remained Silent...

()()()

TeaAndCookies: Ms. Amaha's Thread Of Fate is at its end.

IAM: D-BUG, release Masane Amaha from the realm of mortality...Allow her to enter into My Kingdom to live forevermore.../I have decreed it!/

D-BUG: ...:Snip:...It has been done by Your Command.

IAM: Thank you, all of you. You may all now return to your assigned duties /at once/.

[ElegantAdmin, TeaAndCookies, D-BUG, PoleAxe has left chat.]

()()()

Kami-Sama closed the KAMI-CHAT Window. He Waited a few moments then Typed something in at his Desktop Workstation. He Smiled at what He Saw on the Screen as He Reached for the Phone on top of His Desk...

(X) 25. Seed (X)

/In Heaven, Someone made another important follow-up phone call.../

()()()

"Hello, Peorth, this is Kami-Sama."

"Yes, Sir," replied The Rose Goddess.

"Was she rescued?"

"Yes Sir, she was."

"Good. I am sending Lind to her to escort her to My Office. Good job, Peorth. Goodbye."

"Thank You, Sir, and goodbye."

(X)

/Light!/

/Riko.../ she sighed, seeing her foster daughter's makeshift necklace float before her eyes. Peace and tranquility washed over her causing her to close her eyes in contentment...

(X)

"Masane Amaha." said a stern voice.

Masane's eyes flicked open. She saw a young woman standing in front of her dressed in white clothes trimmed in blue-a uniform of some kind. The peculiar things about her was her short, light blue hair styled into a long sidelock that hung down the right side of her face-and the peculiar facial markings that adorned her face as well.

"Who are you? Where am I?" asked Masane, lowering her arm. She noticed she was dressed in her 'street clothes' again.

"I am Lind." replied The Fighting Goddess. "Kami-Sama sent Me to you to escort you to His Office."

Masane gasped-awestruck! /I must be in Heaven!/ she thought to herself in amazement.

"Follow me." prompted Lind. She turned and began walking. Looking back, She added, "Don't keep Him waiting, Witchblade..."

Masane hurried after Lind. The two of them walked through the wonders of Heaven on their way to His Office...

()()()

Sometime later, Lind and Masane stood outside a large, ornately carved wooden Door.

"Uh, am I in trouble?" asked Masane fearfully. A large drop of sweat appeared on the back of her head.

"Unlikely, it is an /extremely/ high honor to be meeting Him in person like this." replied Lind.

Just then, a Voice sounded from behind the Door as clearly as if It wasn't there. "Thank You, Lind, you may return to Your normal Duties now."

"Yes, Sir." Lind replied crisply to Her Commander-In-Chief. She turned and walked away quickly.

"You have /struggled/ long and hard during your time on Earth, Masane Amaha. Your effort was /not/ in vain..."

His Words exuded /trust/-and curiosity at the same time. Masane reached out with her right hand to grasp the Doorknob. She gasped-crestfallen when she saw her wrist.

Around it was the Witchblade in its bracelet form.

"Fear not, Masane, /I am here to help *you*...and more/..."

Reassured by His Words, she entered His Office and closed the Door behind her.

()()()

On a side wall of the Office was mounted a /huge/ flatscreen TV set, larger than any such device /ever/ existed on Earth. The back wall of the Office was a single window allowing the wondrous light and sights of Heaven to be seen. In front of the middle of the window was a large desk behind which there was a large, high-backed chair. The chair was so large, the Person sitting in it was shrouded in the darkness of shadow.

"The Witchblade, source of your greatest fear is also your greatest strength-/doubly so/." He Pronounced from behind steepled Fingers.

"Huh?" muttered Masane. Absently, she held up her left hand and saw another Witchblade bracelet form circled around her wrist! Mesmerized, she clenched her hands into fists and brought them together. Side by side, both bracelets were identical save for the colors of both symbiote 'gems'-red on the right and yellow on the left.

"In times of /greatest need/ you were given the power to complete the tasks at hand. You did so...of that I am /well/ pleased."

Masane paused to reflect on His Words and what had happened to her in her time on Earth. Filled with /immense/ appreciation and gratitude, she slowly sank to one knee and bowed her head as tears of joy streamed from her eyes. "Thank You, Sir." Masane murmured in rapt adoration.

"Evil beings-seen and unseen-continue to /threaten/ My Creation. To protect It, I require more guardians such as Lind. You have /proven/ yourself trustworthy, Masane, which is why I am inviting you to join their ranks. This is a position of /great/ honor but also great responsibility and commitment...If you decline, you can stay here in My Kingdom in the abode I have prepared for you to wait until the time the others join you here and you can all be /together again/."

"If I become one of Your guardians, will I be able to see them /now/ and protect them as best I can?"

"Yes, you will...but they will not see you 'in the flesh' until it is their appointed time to depart their lives."

"Then, Sir.../I accept/." replied Masane earnestly.

()()()

"POWER SURGE DETECTED!" cried Ex, one of the console operators in the World Tree Computer Control Room.

Peorth sat up in Her command chair behind Ex with a start. "Location?"

"His Office!" gasped Ere from the console next to Ex.

At that, Peorth went through the motions to activate the emergency intercom to His Office...

()()()

"Sir! Problem?" a voice rang out overhead in concern in His Office.

"None, Peorth. Send Lind back to My Office immediately. Goodbye."

"Yes, Sir. Goodbye." acknowledged The Rose Goddess.

"/Thank *You*, Sir/." Masane murmured reverently, tears streaming from her closed eyes. The power she felt sweep through her and unleash itself felt like the night she thought of Rihoko in danger of the I-Weapons and how the power surge she created then lured the weapons away from her foster daughter. But this time, the surge felt /twice/ as powerful!

He Smiled at the sight of Masane and waved His Hand slightly in her direction, causing a large, full-length mirror to appear in front of her. "/Arise/, Masane Amaha, Blade Of Light." He Pronounced ceremoniously.

Masane tilted her head up, opened her eyes, and gasped in awe and wonder at the sight of her reflection in the mirror before her. She was wearing the full body armor of her second Witchblade form but it had been transformed as well. Now it was white and trimmed in blue and garnished with shiny silver in a style similar to Lind's outfit. Her hair was still bushy, long, and white but now it had a lock of blue hair in it in front of her forehead. Her hair flowed down her back and pooled around her on the floor where she knelt. She stared at her reflection a few moments more.

"My eyes...they're /blue/...and.../normal/." noted Masane, awestruck, blinking a few times in amazement.

"A sign of remembrance bestowed upon you for this new station of your existence-one I deemed /most/ appropriate to give to you."

Masane paused, then nodded slowly in reverence to Him. "Thank you, Sir...May this new calling and empowerment You have given me bring You /great/ honor..." Slowly, she stood up, her hair flowing down her back to her knees when an idea came to her. Acting on it, a large pair of wings poked through her mane of hair at her back, extending to their full size from the tops of her shoulders down to her knees.

Masane gasped at the sight of them.

These were not bird wings...

/They were white, metallic, curved triangular aircraft wings with blue trim on their leading edges!/

/They even had engines mounted on them!/

Unable to resist, Masane acted on another thought. She smiled as sounds of the engines turning on and spinning up to full power could be heard. She floated up, leaned forward, and began to fly around His Office.

"Wow, this is /fun!/" Masane cried with delight, smiling broadly.

He Smiled as well. It pleased Him to see her happy in one of the few times she /truly/ was in her (after)life. "The wing's design was Silverbolt's idea."

"Who's Silverbolt?" Masane asked, doing a barrel roll in midair.

From out of nowhere, a handkerchief appeared in His Hand to wipe away the sweatdrop that formed on the side of His Face. "He is a sentient machine shaped like a famous airplane created in the twentieth century on Earth by people in two countries named England and France. It could fly over twice the speed of sound...a feat I'd imagine you'd be able to duplicate with your wings-/just not Here would you please?/" He Chuckled.

Masane smiled at His Jest and landed in front of the mirror. With a thought, the engines switched off and spun down while the wings retracted into her back behind her long, voluminous white hair.

"However," He added with a bit of Sadness, "one of them crashed in France. About three years later, the entire remaining fleet was retired to museums and used for spare parts to keep a few others flying that were owned by /extremely/ wealthy aviation enthusiasts."

Masane bowed her head and closed her eyes for a moment to honor the people who lost their lives in the crash He had mentioned. She promised herself to use her wings to help Him in any way needed. She clenched both gauntleted hands into fists with determination and felt both blades extend from her forearms. They too, had been transformed. Their edges glowed white and seemed like they could cut through anything when Masane opened her eyes and saw them. She tested them out on the mirror in front of her. With a swipe of her arms, a glowing white X appeared on the mirror before it fell to the floor in four pieces with a crash-

"/HOLD, *FIEND!*/" roared The Fighting Goddess, running into His Office, Her Poleaxe in Her Hands and ready for battle!

Startled, Masane saw Him hold up His Hand in silhouette. Her blades retracted back into her forearms.

"At ease, Lind. I am /not/ in any danger. This is the /newest/ member of the Valkyrie Corps, Masane Amaha, The Blade Of Light...Make sure she is trained /well/."

"Yes, Sir!" Lind exclaimed, standing at attention. The shaft of Her Poleaxe clicked against the floor.

"Follow Her." He instructed Masane, "Don't keep Her waiting..."

"Yes, Sir." she replied, whirling about to follow after Lind who was leaving Herself as well.

Kami-Sama looked at the empty hallway for a moment with a Smile before using His Power to close the Door back.

/Make Me proud, Masane/...

(X) 26. Pact (X)

/Elsewhere.../

Rie Nishida climbed out of the wreckage that covered her and stood up. "That was a close one! I thought I was a goner!"

Behind the comely scientist, a dusky, feminine voice cooed knowingly, "You /were/, my dear Ri-chan."

Rie turned around with a start and saw a gorgeous young woman standing in front of her several meters away. She had dark tan skin and long, bushy white hair on her head. She was dressed in a revealing, fluttering, pink and black bodysuit that clung to her like a second skin-displaying her ample, tanned charms with a /brazen openness/ that barely had enough modesty to be considered decent. Beautiful golden jewelry sparkled from her white pumps on her feet, ankles, bodysuit, fingers, wrists, neck, earlobes, and hair. The ex-scientist found the woman's countenance unsettling yet /utterly/ beautiful with the large red star that adorned the center of the woman's forehead and the two smaller red ones on her cheeks just under her dazzling violet eyes that gazed at her-no-/through her/ in a sultry, knowing fashion.

Rie paused before speaking again, her pulse rate quickening. "How do you know my name? Who are you? Where am I?"

The woman smiled back at Rie in a ravenous fashion. "I know everything and everyone here as I am the ruler of this place. I am Hild, The Queen Of Hell."

Rie's eyes bulged with terror! She clamped her hands over her mouth in /utter fright/-gasping in shock as she did so!

Hild found Rie's fear to be /utterly delectable/. Smiling slightly, She fought down the urge to lick Her Lips in front of the ex-scientist...a predatory display She deemed inappropriate for the time being. "That I-Weapon you didn't notice crushed your body /flat/ as a Western pancake and the explosion that followed made it /extra crispy/. Because of that, I truly consider you /My/ kind of scientist-cut from the same cloth as those fellows who built /The Gadget/, /Little Boy/, and /Fat Man/."

Rie's demeanor changed in an instant! "But that was /WAR!/ All bets were off!" shrieked Rie defiantly, offended at being compared with those /butchers!/ Her scientific endeavors, though questionable, did /not/ kill tens of thousands of people and destroy cities in a matter of /seconds!/

Hild put Her Hands on Her Hips-/effortlessly/ striking a commanding pose of Power and Authority as befitting Her Station as The Queen Of Hell. "Your work was /revolutionary/-as was theirs. Your death interrupted that work-want to complete it for Me instead of that idiot Furumizu?"

Rie's eyes narrowed-gazing at Hild with suspicion. She paused a few moments to consider Hild's words. "And if I /refuse?/"

Hild raised a Hand to Her Face and admired the gleaming violet nail polish that crowned the flawless manicure there for a few seconds. She Sighed forlornly-a cue for Rie's benefit. "Eternal regret over what could have been..."

Rie thought it over for a few moments and smirked. "Scientific curiosity killed me...I'm in Hell now...I have /nothing/ left to lose..." Looking into Hild's Eyes, she added, "When do I start?"

Hild walked toward Rie-Her Shoes clicking softly against the stony ground. Without breaking stride, She waved Her Hand in front of Her slightly, causing the pile of wreckage between them to vanish-much to Rie's surprise. A few moments later, Hild stopped in front of Rie and held Her Hand out to the ex-scientist. "Right now. Take My Hand and close your eyes."

Rie paused a moment in uneasiness. It passed-replaced by trust and confidence. Though doomed, Rie innately knew she could trust Hild. The ex-scientist reached out and clasped Hild's proffered Hand into her own and closed her eyes. A moment later, Rie felt disoriented-but it passed a moment after that.

"Take a look." prompted Hild invitingly.

Rie opened her eyes to look and found herself standing in the most advanced laboratory she had ever seen...However, almost everything in it was colored red or black-or both-making the place look absolutely /diabolical!/

"Soon, I will bring additional resources to you to work with. Enjoy yourself and make Me proud, Ri-chan..." beamed Hild from behind Rie.

"Thank you, Hild-Sama!" gushed Rie happily-able once again to do scientific research and development. She turned around to face her beautiful Benefactor-gasping in surprise. "Where did She go?...And why do my clothes have a reddish hue to them now?..."

(X) 27. Change (X)

/Inside the Valkyrie Corps dressing room.../

"Wow, Lind, this place is /big!/" exclaimed Masane as she looked around in awe and wonder.

"It has to be. We are in the fitting area where new recruits get their uniform like the one I am wearing. Whenever a female joins our ranks, a call goes out among the existing Valkyries to create and provide a uniform for their newest warsister to wear. The requirement is that only shades of white and blue and any silver be used in it as those are the colors of the Valkyrie Corps.

"Um...isn't this redundant?" Masane asked hesitantly, pointing to her body. Her transformed Witchblade armor fit the requirement with /flying colors/.

"Not at all. You will need a set of 'everyday clothes' to wear in Heaven to identify you as a member of the Corps. What you wear now is.../special/...and should be treated as such."

"Oh," mused Masane. A moment later, she de-transformed into her old, familiar self and attire.

"Here, hold out your hand." directed Lind, extending Her white gloved Hand toward Masane.

Masane did so and Lind placed a small blue and white object in her hand. "What's this?"

"That's a pager. When you've found the uniform you want to wear, just press the button on it. A warsister will come by to escort you to your living quarters so you can eat, rest up, and begin your training as soon as possible. I must return to My Duties now, Masane Amaha, Blade Of Light. Goodbye."

With that, Lind turned and left Masane alone in the fitting room, closing the door behind her and walking off.

/Now, which one of those packages do I open first?/ Masane asked herself, peering at the pile of blue and white boxes of various sizes on the other side of the fitting room. Next to the boxes was a bench she could use to sit on while changing clothes. Next to the bench was a full-length, three-panel mirror suited for the task at hand. Masane walked over to the bench, set the pager down on the end of it, disrobed completely, and left her 'street clothes' in a rumpled pile on the bench next to the pager. Next, she padded over to the mirror to look herself over. She gasped! She thought back to her vicious fight with Shiori where she was nearly eviscerated! /My old scars... they're *gone!*/ Moments passed and she smirked with admiration at her reflection. /Looks like my time as the Witchblade gave me a bit of a 'six pack'/. she mused, rubbing her hand over her belly for a moment before lowering it to her side to join the other. /Here I am, wearing nothing but a Witchbracelet on each wrist!/ Smiling, she turned and padded over to one of the boxes that caught her eye...

()()()

/I don't know if I should fly, fight, or go for a swim in *this*...and why put a third triangular thingy *there*-weren't the two on the helmet enough? The sleek forearm weapons and racing stripe look good though...((Sigh))...If I had much longer hair now as I do as the Witchblade, the helmet would look so much nicer on me.../

()()()

/This is a bit ridiculous...high heels and a breastplate that lives up to its name?...((flexes fingers on hands))...The helmet's display system says these things are weapons...Why they are named after finger joints and airplanes laden with explosives is beyond me...Hmm...((Masane's wings unfurled. She rested her armored hands on her armored hips and savored her appearance in the mirror.)) Wow! This looks so /fugging kickass/, I'd take this in a heartbeat if I weren't a bit claustrophobic...Wait a minute.../is 'fugging' a real word?/...

()()()

/This warsister had a thing for guns, go-go boots, silk stockings, sweaters, hairclips, and skimpy attire made from PVC...I get the feeling she thrived on high-risk, high-stakes activities.../

()()()

/Tiara...skimpy leather bikini...a sword...flowing cape...AND A SKULLHEAD NECKLACE?...This warsister is *definitely* disturbed!...So why...must...I...resist...the...urge...to...laugh...uncontrollably?.../

()()()

/...I'm practically falling out of this skimpy little number-likely just like the warsister who wore this when she was alive...She definitely knew how to use her sex appeal as a weapon like this large war fan I'm holding...My hair isn't long enough to make the bow look good so I look a bit silly with my 'Shetland ponytail'.../

()()()

/...COME ON!...A choker with a bell on it? What kind of uniform is that? Oh well, let me put it on around my neck...Nothing...Hold on, maybe this thing is an item of transformation...it's pretty obvious how to trigger it.../

()()()

/Nearby.../

"Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"Sounded like 'NYAAAAA!'...coming from over by the fitting room."

"Are you /serious?/"

"Of course I am."

"You realize if something like that had happened while we were /alive/, I'd probably just yell at you for something ridiculous like that. Then you'd run crying to your grandfather the Grand Marshal. As your partner-even up here after our deaths which I /still/ don't understand-I'd just heap more trouble on myself from him, Lind, Freya, even.../Him./"

"Do you think the new recruit tried on that outfit that one particular warsister made?"

"From what you just said, I'd say that would be a /definite/ yes..."

()()()

/Well this outfit is a step up from being completely naked-but just *barely*. Strips of white fur in *just the right places*...and a small blue ribbon tied into a bow on the end of the tail-can't say if that's cute or ridiculous-*maybe both*...Well, I'll never lose my weapons unless they are cut off me in battle-being attached to my knees and elbows like they are...Nice to have the long hair needed to make an outfit like this look good...It's kind of peculiar to see my ears have changed shape, color, and position on my head and be able to flick them in just about any direction I want...If I stayed like this, I'd resign myself to nothing but fish to eat, balls of yarn to play with, windowsills to sleep on and litterboxes to relieve myself in-if they make them big enough for one my size to use...Because of that, I'm passing on this outfit...

()()()

/Later.../

"I hope Ms. Amaha is ready now."

"Is the pager in your hand blinking?"

"Yes, it is."

"Use your head-she was ready the /moment/ she pushed the button on her pager summoning you here!"

"Oh right! I forget about these things sometimes. Thanks for reminding me."

"You're welcome. Just remember to /stay focused/ at all times when on duty."

"I try...I /really/ do!...I'm sorry my pilot error got us all killed.../WAAAAAH!/"

"It's okay...the other three became Guardians and we became Valkyries so a good thing came out of a /very/ bad situation."

The door opened and Masane stepped out of the dressing room dressed in her 'old clothes'-recolored in white and blue to be a proper Valkyrie uniform. A moment later, she closed the door behind her. Standing in front of her were two young women who looked to be around her age. One had wavy blonde hair and tan skin. The other had long teal hair and pale skin. Both were dressed in white and blue as well. "I heard someone crying and came to the door to help. Is everything all right?"

"I suppose so...I'm Mihoshi." began the blonde, "Lind assigned me the task of escorting you to your living quarters when you were ready."

The teal haired woman spoke, "I'm Kiyone, Mihoshi's partner in life.../and death/."

Masane blushed at those words.

"Not like that!" snapped Kiyone. "Mihoshi and I were partners at the Galaxy Police Force."

"One day, Kiyone and I along with Tenchi, Ryoko, and Ayeka were traveling home to Earth-" began Mihoshi.

"In a /spaceship?/" asked Masane, awestruck.

Kiyone nodded, smiling a bit at Masane's leap of deduction. /She'd probably would have been a good police officer.../ "At the successful end of a secret mission given to us by Mihoshi's grandfather, the Grand Marshal of Galaxy Police."

Tears welled up in Mihoshi's eyes. "But I made a navigational error and flew the ship too close to a black hole. When I realized my mistake, it was too late to change course and we /fell in/." Sobbing, Mihoshi sank to the ground-tears streaming down her face. Kiyone remembered well what happened that fateful day...

(X)

/Earlier.../

"MIHOSHI, YOU /BOOB!/ YOU GOT US ALL /KILLED!/" Kiyone roared hysterically, throttling the blonde for all she was worth! She took morbid pleasure in the imagined sight of Mihoshi's reddening face and bulging eyes...

(X)

"Please stop strangling Mihoshi, Kiyone-/I forbid it/." ordered a Voice of iron shrouded in the /softest/ feathery down.

Kiyone's hysteria lifted /instantly!/ "Huh?" she muttered, releasing Mihoshi's neck.

Mihoshi gasped for air and bawled, "I'm sorry, everyone-/I screwed up!/"

"Where the /hell/ are we?" Ryoko wondered aloud.

"Not in the realm of the damned." replied the Voice. "And please, all of you, refrain from such language while in My Presence."

"If we are not in h-...down /there/..." reasoned Tenchi tentatively.

"Then we /must/ be in Heaven." concluded Ayeka primly. A moment later, she added, "That is /impossible/-Ryoko is here with us."

"With I, /all/ things are possible." pronounced the Voice. "As long as one is alive, there is always time to seek redemption and mend one's ways. Ryoko is proof of that."

"Thank you." replied the ex-space pirate gratefully.

"Who are you?" asked Ayeka, her curiosity piqued.

At that, the encompassing darkness gave way to the sight of a large Office and a Person shrouded in shadow seated behind a large desk in front of a large window that stretched between opposite walls of the Office.

The Person identified Himself. "I...am Kami-Sama..."

A moment of silence passed...

Then, as one, Ryoko, Tenchi, Ayeka, and Kiyone sank to one knee and bowed their heads in respect and wordless adoration...

A second or two later, Mihoshi instantly joined the others in a blur of motion-kneeling before Him when she realized /Who/ it was she was standing before...

He Smiled slightly at Mihoshi's delayed display of reverence toward Him. Her dedication to her friends and her work along with her outgoing, sunny disposition far outweighed any incompetence she showed outwardly when she was alive. "Mihoshi, there is evil in My Creation. Care to oppose it as one of My defenders?"

"But Sir," Mihoshi began meekly, looking up at Him. "Aren't You /afraid/ I'll mess up doing that?" she added, crestfallen.

"Mihoshi," Kiyone began, turning to the blonde, "He wouldn't make you that offer if He didn't think you were /worthy/ of it."

Mihoshi thought it over for a few moments. "Oh, /right/...well in that case...I accept, Sir." she chirped happily.

"Will you join her at her side as one of My defenders as well, Kiyone?" He added expectantly a moment later.

For a split instant, Kiyone thought about telling Him 'no' but reconsidered...He was the Creator of Creation and she was a part of it even /after/ her death. Besides, someone had to keep an eye on Mihoshi to insure her incompetence didn't get out of hand-even /after/ her death! She looked up at Him. "Yes, Sir." she replied resolutely.

"Then /arise/, Mihoshi Kuramitsu and Kiyone Makibi...you two are the /newest/ members of the Valkyrie Corps. May you honor the Corps with your service during all the days of your afterlife." He Pronounced solemnly.

In an instant, Mihoshi bearhugged Kiyone and stood up, still clutching her. "Yay, Kiyone, /we get to be partners again!/"

"Indeed...need.../air/...Mihoshi!" gasped Kiyone, displeased at having the afterlife squeezed out of her.

"Sorry!" Mihoshi apologized, releasing Kiyone from her grasp. The blonde looked herself over. "Look, Kiyone, our GXP uniforms changed colors!"

"So they have." observed Kiyone, looking at Mihoshi. "These must be the colors worn by the fellow members of the Valkyrie Corps. Our physical abilities must have been upgraded as well-that bearhug you just had me in was /stronger/ than any of the ones you gave me when we were alive."

"/Sorry/ about that, Kiyone. I guess I don't know my own strength!" observed Mihoshi sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment.

Amazingly, everyone else in the Room suppressed a groan...but not a sweatdrop...even /Him/...

In all of this, Ryoko, Tenchi, and Ayeka turned to look on the jubilations of the two new Valkyries. They were happy for them but felt /left out/...

...Which He promptly addressed: "This invitation to join My defenders extend to you three as well."

"Uh, Sir." Ryoko began nonchalantly, looking up at Him. She raised her index finger for emphasis. "Tenchi has the /wrong/ plumbing to be a Valkyrie."

Ayeka glared at the ex-space pirate. "/Ryoko!/" hissed the purple haired Ex-Princess of Jurai with all the regal disapproval she could muster. "/Such language!/"

"/Good grief/." murmured Tenchi in exasperation, grimacing with embarrassment. The brown haired ex-schoolboy bowed his head a little closer to the floor.

"That is true, Ryoko." He agreed, "However, I do have another group of defenders that is open to all I offer a position to. You would report only to /Me/ or My Daughter Belldandy. You would be given the needed power to do tasks that are simply /too big/ or /important/ for members of the Valkyrie Corps to handle. You would be My representatives in the field and in you I would trust to make the /right decisions/ for the situations you find yourselves in."

Tenchi and Ayeka gasped in awe and wonder at what was being offered to them...unlike Ryoko...

"The chance to go on do-or-die missions where Creation hangs in the balance." surmised the cyan-haired ex-space pirate. "And given the.../godlike/ power to do them...I /love/ a challenge so count me in!" she added eagerly.

"I accept your offer, Sir." replied Ayeka gratefully. "Besides, someone needs to make sure Ryoko doesn't get out of line should the power You're giving her go to her head."

"The same could be said of /you/, Ayeka." snorted Ryoko in a huff.

"I accept as /well/, Sir, if only to be the voice of reason for those two." Tenchi added reluctantly.

Squealing with delight, Ryoko reached over and gathered Tenchi and Ayeka in a bearhug. "This is /great/, we can have adventures together and we can /still/ fight for Tenchi's affections like before, Ayeka!"

Tenchi was smiling on the outside but /crying/ on the inside as Ryoko and Ayeka squabbled over him. /Even in death, nothing has *really* changed. It's *still* business as usual between the three of us!/... "-Urk! /Hey/...stop yanking on my arms you two, I'm /not/ meant for tug-of-war!"

"/Oops!/ Sorry Tenchi." apologized Ryoko, letting go of Tenchi's arm.

"Lord Tenchi, are you /hurt?/ Did we dislocate your arms from your shoulders?" added Ayeka with genuine concern, releasing Tenchi's other arm.

Tenchi held up his hands in placation. "I'm /fine/...as long as you two don't treat me like a /wishbone/." he quipped.

At that, the three of them chuckled together.

Smiling, He allowed them to enjoy a moment of levity before clearing His Throat. He saw them go silent a moment later then look up to Him expectantly. "/Arise/, Ryoko Hakubi, Ayeka Jurai, and Tenchi Masaki. You three are the /newest/ Guardians Of Heaven. May you bring /great honor/ to Me and to yourselves through your words and deeds."

The three bowed their heads in thanksgiving. "Thank /You/, Sir." they chorused as one.

Slowly, they stood up and looked at one another.

Ryoko /tsk-tsk/ed and shook her head slowly. "Grey is /not/ your color, Princess."

"Your ash-colored attire doesn't strike any fear in /my/ heart, space pirate!" snapped Ayeka angrily.

"Bring it, you stuck-up prig! I'll show you /fear!/" retorted Ryoko hotly.

"Girls, please! Remember where you are!" Tenchi exclaimed with authority, looking at Ryoko then at Ayeka.

Ryoko and Ayeka /gulped/... bug-eyed when the realization sank in.

"Sorry, Tenchi." Ryoko apologized.

"A /thousand/ pardons, Lord Tenchi." added Ayeka demurely.

Tenchi looked at Him. "Sir, why /grey?/" he asked expectantly.

He replied, "I chose that color of attire to best allow My Guardians to blend in undetected amongst those who don't know who they are."

"I /see/, Sir, so dressing up in bright colors like Western superheroes would defeat the purpose of being a Guardian Of Heaven." Tenchi concluded.

"Correct." He replied, pleased at Tenchi's display of logic and reasoning.

"Like this, Tenchi?" Ryoko asked from behind Tenchi.

Tenchi turned around and saw Ryoko dressed up in the red, white, blue, and gold attire worn by the superheroine Wonder Woman.

"Or /this/, Lord Tenchi?" Ayeka asked from behind Tenchi a moment later.

Tenchi about-faced and saw Ayeka dressed up in the yellow and black, full bodysuit and cape of Batgirl.

"Even in cosplay, Ryoko decides to /expose/ herself!" harrumphed Ayeka with displeasure.

"Like they /always/ say, '/If you got *it*, flaunt *it*!/'" stated Ryoko with a wink, striking a pose. She smiled a moment later, seeing Ayeka blush-unhidden by the bat-shaped domino mask she wore over the eyes and nose on her face.

Tenchi sighed, hearing Ryoko and Ayeka bickering some more-not about /him/ for a change! "Those two will *always* be locked in a never-ending battle of one-upsmanship with me as the *ultimate* prize..." he whimpered glumly under his breath.

Kami-Sama opened His Mouth and Said Words of encouragement to Tenchi and Tenchi alone while Ryoko and Ayeka continued to argue with one another. "Remember always, Tenchi, /never/ give up and /never/ surrender."

Tenchi nodded imperceptibly in thanksgiving. "Thank /You/, Sir."

Kami-Sama smiled. "You're welcome."

(X) 28. Duty (X)

/At the Valkyrie Corps training grounds at twilight.../

"This place is like an Olympic village." Masane remarked, looking around her as she walked along with Mihoshi and Kiyone. As far as her eyes could see, she saw Valkyries doing all sorts of training and exercises to be members of the /best/ group of female warriors in /all/ Creation.

Kiyone spoke up as they approached a small, white building with blue trim on it that was about the size of an old-style phonebooth enclosure. "Thanks for cheering up Mihoshi, Masane-Sorry I was daydreaming back there...about how the five of us wound up in His Office and what happened after that. It /was/ a humbling and amazing experience."

"It /sure/ was, Kiyone...Well, /here/ we are." added Mihoshi as the three stopped in front of the building.

"Where is /here?/...And why are these buildings /everywhere/ around here...are /these/..." Masane began wonderingly, seeing her name written in blue on the door.

"They /sure/ are, Masane." replied Kiyone with a grin, "But like none you ever saw while alive on Earth...Grab the doorknob, twist it left and open the door." added the teal-haired Valkyrie invitingly.

Masane did as instructed and gasped in wonder and amazement at what she saw inside the tiny building. "That is the /largest/, most opulent bathroom I have /ever/ seen...but its /bigger/ inside than the building that contains it-/how is that possible?/" she asked, closing the door back.

"/Ah/, the wonders of packetspace." gushed Mihoshi to no one in particular.

"/Pocketspace/, Mihoshi." Kiyone corrected flatly.

"What's that?" asked Masane, turning around to face Kiyone and Mihoshi.

"It is a self-contained area of any size with usually only one way in and out of it." explained Kiyone.

"Oh, like Washu's lab?" added Mihoshi helpfully.

"/Definitely/, Washu was Ryoko's mom. Her lab was the size of a planet or two but you could enter it through a door in Tenchi's house on Earth." elaborated Kiyone.

"Ok, so where do I sleep at?...No wait, I think I got it." said Masane confidently, turning back to the door. She grasped the doorknob, turned it to the right, opened the door, and looked inside. "Nice efficiency apartment in there-/much/ nicer than the cramped 'mansions' I saw home hunting for my foster daughter Rihoko and me." She commented, pleased. "I'd imagine there is a door in there that leads to the bathroom I just saw earlier. So /why/ this arrangement, as amazing as it is?"

"Masane, you are a Valkyrie /now/." began Mihoshi solemnly, "You are either gonna be on duty or becoming a better Valkyrie. Otherwise, you'll be tending to your bodily needs as /fast/ as you can when training or relaxing off duty on your own time or sleeping."

"Couldn't have said it better myself, Mihoshi." complimented Kiyone. "Go on, Masane, you'd better turn in so you'll be ready for orientation tomorrow and your first day of training the day after that."

Masane stepped into her apartment and turned around. "Thank you for your help and good night."

"See ya' in the morning, Masane!" Mihoshi exclaimed cheerfully.

"Pleasant dreams, Blade Of Light." saluted Kiyone reverently.

Masane smiled back at the two Valkyrie ex-GXP officers and closed the door...

()()()

/Meanwhile, on Earth.../

"Time to take you home, Rihoko." said Takayama, placing a hand on Rihoko's shoulder.

Rihoko looked down at the seashells in the palms of her hands then cupped her hands over them. "Okay, Mr. Takayama." she replied, looking out into the distance to where Tokyo Tower once stood.

"About that...Rihko...I.../I'm/ your father." Takayama stated with a hesitant calmness.

Rihoko turned around with a start and looked up at Takayama. "/Really?/" she exclaimed, eager to know more.

Takayama knelt down to look Rihoko in the eyes. He placed his hands on her shoulders. "I hope you aren't mad at me... for not being there for you.../are you?/"

"Uh-uh." replied Rihoko, shaking her head.

"I'm /glad/...The lady you were staying with earlier was your /real/ mother, Reina."

"Where is she?"

A lump formed in Takayama's throat. "She is.../gone/...like Masane..."

"Will I see them again?" asked Rihoko expectantly.

Takayama paused for a moment of reflection. He gingerly wrapped his arms around his daughter and slowly hugged her to himself-gently squeezing her in his arms. "I.../hope/ so...Rihoko..." After some time, he released her from his embrace and stood up. He started to walk off with Rihoko following him a moment later.

"Will we be going to your house?" asked Rihoko.

"No, we're going back to Mariko's place. I want you to be among friends while I'm away."

"Where are you /going?/"

"Back to work running Dohji Group. Once that is started, I'll come live with you /there/ as well so we can be together...Rihoko...I have a favor to ask of you-a /big/ one."

"What is it?"

"I want /you/ to replace me as head of Dohji Group when the time comes."

"Really! Why?"

"I can think of no better inheritance to leave you with when my time comes. From what Masane told me about you entrepreneurship, you have what it takes to run a company the size of Dohji Group. All you need is the proper education and training. You'd have to start now so you would be ready then. I'll do what I can to steer Dohji Group away from activities that can lead to events like last night...I'd like you to continue this work when it is your turn to run the company if you decide to honor my request and become my replacement as head of Dohji Group. Rihoko...by doing this together as father and daughter we can both honor and remember the /ultimate/ sacrifice made by both your birth mother Reina and foster mother Masane."

Rihoko thought about Takayama's offer for quite some time before she gave him her decision. "All right...Father, I'll help you."

"Thank you, my daughter." Takayama replied gratefully. "One more thing...you /must/ remember to address me as Mr. Takayama or Director whenever we are around strangers together or talking on the phone and the like. There are people out there who would use that fact against us and hinder...even /stop/ our efforts. For /now/, Mr. Segawa and everybody at Mariko's place are the /only/ ones to know we are father and daughter."

"I /see/...they already know that Masane /is/...was...that monster that fought for all of us."

"She wasn't a monster, Rihoko. Your foster mother Masane was the Witchblade. She died a /heroine/-giving her life to save yours, mine, and everyone else in the city. She /deserves/ to be remembered for that-you have my word I'll see to it as soon as possible." promised Takayama solemnly.

Just then, they saw a sedan pull up to a stop on the street ahead of them. They saw a young bespectacled man get out and open the rear door-waiting for them to get in.

Takayama smiled at the man. "Impeccable timing as usual, Segawa-thank you." He helped Rihoko into the car so she wouldn't drop the seashells she held in her hands.

Segawa adjusted his glasses. "You're welcome, sir. It was the best I could do given such short notice and the chaos of last night."

"What of Wado?" asked Takayama without preamble.

"He has been.../taken care of/. The Board of Directors is clamoring for your return to steer Dohji Group out of this debacle." informed Segawa.

"Take us back to Mariko's place so I can drop off Rihoko there before we go back to Dohji Group." Takayama said as he got into the sedan to sit next to Rihoko.

"Yes, sir." Segawa acknowledged, closing the door. He got back in the driver's seat and closed the door. A few moments later, the sedan's engine started and the car moved off...

(X) 29. Unite (X)

/The Queendom Of Hild.../

An /unearthly/, piercing cry of pain and anguish reverberated through the underworld... then stopped.

Wide-eyed with hysteria, Shiori slumped to the ground, gasping for breath.

Nearby, Nora stood and watched with cool, unflappable detachment. "Feel /better/ now, Shiori?"

"Takayama was /mine!/ Then I had to go and /die/ and wind up in /this place!/" shrieked Shiori disappointedly.

Across the way, Asagi looked around and took stock of her surroundings. "/Hell/...from the looks of it." she surmised nonchalantly, chewing on one of her fingernails.

Next to Asagi, Aoi sank to her knees. She placed her hands on her thighs and bowed her head. "I failed you, Miss Maria...I'm /deeply/ sorry." she apologized glumly.

Maria knelt beside Aoi and hugged her. "/I/ failed you, Aoi...I'm the one who should apologize." Looking up at Asagi, she added, "Sorry for not listening to your advice...and.../killing/ you..."

Asagi smirked. "Don't sweat it-I was out of line anyway. We were all playing for keeps up there and /all/ lost for one reason or another."

"It /doesn't/ have to /be/ that way." countered a dusky, feminine voice from over their heads.

The others looked up and saw Hild float down to them-landing on the soles of Her white Shoes in their midst.

"Oni-Sama I presume?..." guessed Nora confidently with an arch of an eyebrow.

Hild Smiled at Nora and introduced Herself to the others. "Close, Nora-chan...actually I am the Daimakaicho, The Queen Of Hell...Hild."

/Really/... concluded Asagi, smiling a bit as she continued to chew on her fingernail.

"What do You /mean/, Ma'am?" asked Aoi respectfully with a bit of fearful hesitation from behind Hild.

Hild swept Her Arms out and turned around in place. "I offer you /all/ a second chance to prove yourselves...in service to /Me/...How about it?" Pronounced The Queen Of Hell theatrically.

"And /if/ we refuse?" asked Asagi pointedly.

Hild lowered Her Arms and Looked directly at Asagi. "Everlasting regret at the /lost/ opportunity. You will /never...ever/ know what your /true/ potential could have been."

"What happens if we fail /again?/" added Nora inquisitively.

Hild turned to face Nora. "That fact will haunt and torment you all /forever/...punishment enough indeed." replied Hild in an ominous Tone. Far overhead, there was a bolt of lightning and thunder to punctuate Hild's Words just then.

"So we /really/ have nothing to lose by accepting Her offer, now do we." concluded Maria.

"One last chance at greatness.../oh, yes!/" added Shiori in an aggressive, ambitiously enthusiastic tone.

"All right, then." said Nora reservedly.

"I'm in." declared Maria resolutely.

"Me too." added Aoi modestly.

Asagi shrugged her shoulders. "Guess I'm along for the ride." she mused with a smirk.

Hild Smiled with Delight-their consent was /unanimous!/ as a result, the clothing the others wore changed hues to favor red and black-which caught the others by surprise for a moment. "All right, everyone close their eyes for a moment and we'll be off...Ah ah ah! No peeking, Aoi-chan!" Sing-Songed The Queen Of Hell dotingly.

Aoi gulped. "I'm /sorry/, Ma'am!" the pigtailed girl apologized fearfully. She squeezed her eyes shut.

"I can understand your curiosity, Aoi-chan but it will be better for you all /not/ to look while we are in transit...everybody ready to go /now?/"

Now prepared and ready, the others nodded slowly as one.

Hild Smiled again and teleported Herself and the others to the destination of Her choosing...

()()()

"/Here/ we are. Take a look, everyone." Hild announced.

The others opened their eyes and found themselves in a large room with five beds in it...The colors of red and black were everywhere!

Hild raised Her Hands and clapped Them twice to get the attention of the others. "Sleep now, My Banshees. Your training begins soon with /due diligence/." She Announced in a kindly fashion. Hild turned around and faced the door that was there. It opened for Her and She walked through it-disappearing into the blackness beyond. A moment later, the door closed by itself to the bewilderment of the others...

(X) 30. Renew (X)

/At Mary's Gallery.../

"'Witchblade /saves/ the city!'...Your /best/ story yet, Tozawa!" complimented Cho. He was reading Tozawa's news article online with his laptop computer while seated at the bar in back of the parlor.

"Let /me/ see." demanded Mariko, standing behind the bar in front of Cho. She grabbed the open lid of the laptop with one hand and twisted the laptop around to see the screen.

"Hey!" Cho protested, "I wasn't finished reading that!"

Mariko scrolled through the article. "You /don't/ have to...The four pictures at the bottom tell the whole story."

"/Really?/" demanded Cho eagerly, turning his laptop around. ".../Impressive/ photojournalism, Tozawa...Melony imitates the Statue Of Liberty standing on top of Tokyo Tower while surrounded by hundreds of I-Weapons. She turns into a giant ball of light and destroys the I-Weapons attacking the city-"

"And herself and Tokyo Tower as well." Tozawa amended somberly, seated at one of the tables in the parlor. "It was the least I could do to let the people in this city know what she did to help them...Thing is, those /aren't/ even my pictures."

"They're /not?/" questioned Cho, turning around to look at Tozawa.

"Then /whose/ are they?" asked Mariko.

"I didn't have my camera with me at the time so with Kyoko's help, I was able to pore over various video news feeds taken during the incident last night and pick out the screencaps to go with the story." explained Tozawa.

"You made /excellent/ choices, my boy!" beamed Cho, grinning broadly.

"Masane would be /proud/ of you, Tozawa." Mariko added with a smile.

"/MASANE!/" sobbed Naomi, seated at her table by the front window in the front of the parlor. "You /didn't/ deserve this fate!.../Why/ did it have to be you?" Naomi hid her face in her hands and cried, grief-stricken.

Michael, seated at a table next to Naomi, reached over and placed his hand on her shoulder as a sign of concern and comfort.

Naomi looked up and saw Michael looking back at her with a bit of a smile. He raised his other hand over his head and pointed at the ceiling with his index finger. One by one, the other three looked over at them.

Michael's actions spoke louder than any words he could ever say in that moment...

(X)

/In Masane's apartment in the Heavens.../

Masane stirred, then groggily woke up surrounded by the sounds of violins, woodwinds, and brass horns playing a triumphant piece of music. She got out of bed and padded over to the door leading to the bathroom. Opening the door, she walked inside, closed the door back, and tended to her bodily needs while the music continued to play to its conclusion...

()()()

"Good morning, Masane!" greeted Mihoshi happily, seeing Masane step out of the tiny building.

"Good morning, Mihoshi." greeted Masane in return, looking around for a moment. "Where is Kiyone?"

"She's off running an errand for Lind." replied Mihoshi. "She /might/ be around later today."

"Oh, okay...Mihoshi, I woke up to music playing, what's that all about?" asked Masane.

"That's the Valkyrie Corp's alarm clock and call to arms. It was composed by some German guy in the nineteenth century as part of four operas that seemed to go on and on for days at a time when they are performed." explained Mihoshi.

"Sounds like a /nice/ piece of music." observed Masane with a smile.

"It is...until you've heard it a few zillion times." Mihoshi admitted glumly. "Just about every Valkyrie up here /hates/ it which is why it is used as an alarm clock. Some say banging on a metal trash can would be better to wake up to. For /variety/...if you could call it that...a /different/ version of that music piece is played every morning to wake us up. I think today's version came from either that twentieth century war movie filled with /lots/ of helicopters or that musical comedy movie with these two guys dressed in black and white who were chased by /lots and lots/ of people!"

"So, does /anybody/ like that music piece?" asked Masane curiously.

At that, Mihoshi crossed her arms, grasped them in her hands and /shivered!/ "There /is/ this one Valkyrie, barely a teenager when she became one, who was born in Germany to parents that weren't even German! In life, this Valkyrie defended her world with the help of a giant living robot she sat in and controlled. One day, the bad guys sent a group of nine other such robots to attack her and she /singlehandedly beat them all!/..."

Masane gasped, wide-eyed! "Amazing!"

Mihoshi began to cry. "She /should/ have won...but her robot ran out of power and the other nine robots came back to life and attacked her again-killing her in a /gruesome/ fashion!"

"/Oh dear/," Masane murmured, crestfallen.

Mihoshi sniffled and wiped her eyes. "But He /saved/ her at the moment of her demise and brought her to His Office and offered her a place in the Corps which she /gladly/ accepted with open arms! The next morning, she burst from the doorway to her apartment dressed in her transformed white and blue 'plugsuit' with matching little thingies clipped in her hair as the music was playing. She was singing along with the music triumphantly...going 'Ho Yo To Ho!'-whatever /that/ means. After that, she showed up for orientation and afterward her first day of training. Over time, she rose through the ranks /fast!/ In the end, Freya and Lind were the /only/ Valkyries who could defeat her in combat training. As her reward, she was given her own Angel-the /first/ ex-mortal here to be so honored...She called her 'UNIT 02'...Her reports tell she /hardly/ ever summoned her Angel to help her in battle. Instead, she used /live combat/ as another way to become a /better/ Valkyrie! Other Valkyries call her 'The Red Demon' behind her back due to her red-brown hair color, the ferocity of her fighting skills, and belligerent nature when around others who /exasperate/ her...The ones that call her that to her face are /soundly trounced/ on the spot in a mandatory practice combat session-her 'viewing fee' she calls it. Out of respect for her, Freya and Lind /never/ use that 'nickname' when referring to her. Instead they call her 'The Pilot' when not referring to her by name as that's what she did when she was alive."

"What became of her?" asked Masane after Mihoshi's lengthy explanation.

"She became one of the trainers here when not on a mission for /Him/...May /He/ help you should you find yourself in one of /her/ classes!" said Mihoshi somberly, shivering at the thought. In a moment, her demeanor became sunny and bubbly again. "We better hurry or you'll be late for orientation!"

The two walked off side by side for Masane to begin her new destiny as one of Heaven's warsisters...

(X)

/At Mary's Gallery.../

A sedan pulled to a stop outside by the curb...

"Now /who/ could that be?" Mariko wondered aloud.

As Michael lowered his arm, everyone looked outside...

"It's that guy who works for Takayama." observed Cho, seeing Segawa get out of the sedan.

"There's the man of the hour." added Tozawa glumly, seeing Takayama step out of the sedan moments after Segawa opened the door.

"/Oh look!/ Rihoko is with him!" Cho exclaimed, seeing Takayama help Rihoko out of the sedan.

Segawa closed the door to the sedan then strode ahead to open the door of Mary's Gallery to let Takayama and Rihoko enter. That done, he stepped inside to join them and the door closed behind him...

"What brings you here?" Mariko asked flatly.

Takayama paused for a moment. "Show them, Rihoko, /my daughter/."

Rihoko paused, then opened her hands-revealing the tiny seashells nestled in them.

A moment later, Takayama added, "This is /all/ that remains of Masane Amaha, the Witchblade. I am here asking you all to help me /honor/ her sacrifice that saved us all and to create a /fitting/ memorial to her."

After several moments of silence and contemplation, Cho stepped forward to address Takayama and bowed. "I would be /honored/ to help you in any way I possibly can, Takayama." Cho straightened up again.

One by one, Mariko, Michael, Naomi, and Tozawa came forward and joined Cho at his side.

"Thank you for your help...all of you." Takayama said with a small smile. He then began to explain the details of his plan to everyone present...

(X)

/At the Valkyrie orientation ceremony in the Heavens.../

"Oh good, we're just in time." noted Mihoshi happily as she guided Masane to her seat in the large auditorium. Looking at her wristwatch, she added, "The ceremony is scheduled to start in about a minute-goodbye for now, Masane!" Mihoshi turned and walked out of the auditorium past other Valkyries arriving at the last minute.

Masane looked around in awe and wonder at the hundreds of women in white and blue standing around and talking to one another.

A large stage was at the front of the auditorium. A giant flag displaying the crest of the Valkyrie Corps hung on the wall behind the stage.

A freckled-faced Valkyrie with dark, shoulder-length hair walked onto one side of the stage, stopped, and turned to face the audience of her fellow warsisters. "ATTEN-/TION!/" she exclaimed, her voice suffused with well-earned and deserved power, respect, and authority.

Everyone else stopped talking and stood at attention in front of their chairs. She then raised a shiny silver bugle to her lips and played the first twenty notes of the Valkyrie Corps call-to-arms while a young, auburn-haired woman walked up some stairs hidden behind the middle of the stage.

The redheaded woman glanced at the bugle player and smiled, nodding in her direction. "Thank you, Hikari."

The bugler lowered her horn, smiled back, turned around, and walked off the stage.

The redhead then looked straight ahead toward the audience, walked to the very middle of the stage, and stopped.

/That must be 'The Pilot'/. Masane thought to herself. /She looks even *more* regal wearing that blue cape with white trim on it and the sheathed sword at her side./

The redhead clasped her hands behind her back underneath the cape. "Be seated." she directed in a strong, authoritative tone. She turned from side to side to make sure all the others warsisters sat down before she continued-looking straight ahead again. A lone chair squeaked across the floor for a moment as the last Valkyrie sat down before it was all quiet again. "/Girls/...I want you to remember...that in /war/, there are no winners /or/ losers...Only survivors and corpses.../if that/...My name is Asuka Langley Sohryu. I died a humiliating death moments after what should have been my /greatest/ victory. The next thing I knew, I was on the floor in the presence of Someone with /great/ power and authority as a maimed, broken, bleeding lump of flesh hurting in /utter/ agony. That Someone was Kami-Sama Himself. With a wave of His Hand, I was made whole again in an instant! It was then He offered me the opportunity to join the Corps and /become a Valkyrie/... I sat on the floor of His Office for /quite/ some time thinking about His offer. To understand the decision I faced, I must tell you some more about myself. In life, I was a conundrum-I was born in Germany yet /not one drop/ of Teutonic blood flowed through my veins and arteries-being Japanese-American by birth. At an early age, I was chosen to pilot giant biomechanical robots call Evangelion. When I arrived home to tell my mother the day I was selected, I found her body swinging from a rafter in her bedroom. Sometime earlier, she was involved in a /terrible/ accident as a scientist working on a project to create the Evangelion. Something snapped inside of her which led to her suicide...Which led to something snapping inside of /me/ as well. After that, I became cold and mean toward others-even my fellow Evangelion pilots. All that mattered to me at the time was becoming the finest Evangelion pilot and warrior...in essence.../a Valkyrie/-something I took /immense/ pride in. But as it is said, 'pride goes before a fall'...and fall I did-/hard!/...My vainglory was /utterly/ destroyed when I was defeated. Then He restored me in His Mercy through /no/ effort or merit of mine at all. When I realized that, I wept uncontrollably in His Presence for quite some time. With tearstained eyes and outstretched arms, I looked up to Him and accepted His offer-it was the /only/ way available to me where I could show Him my thanks for the Act of kindness He did for me. He told me to 'arise' and I stood up before Him wearing /this/...my old red, black, orange, green, and blue plugsuit transformed into what you see now-a garment of /high/ honor given to me as a gift of grace and unmerited favor. He called me by my full name and pronounced me as the newest member of His Valkyrie Corps. After that, I trained with such commitment, urgency, and zeal, that I surprised even Lind! Later, I met up with Hikari Horaki, a good friend of mine whom you all briefly met earlier. We trained together-helping each other to be the /best/ Valkyrie possible. I discovered I had to start all over again as my old skills were incompatible with my /new/ calling. But in the end, my efforts were /rewarded/...I was given this cape, sword, and a /companion/ to fight by my side when needed...Let me introduce you to /her/..." Asuka then lowered her arms and held them out from her sides slightly-hands clenched into fists. "UNIT 02, /COME FORTH!/" she exclaimed, her face scowled in concentration...

At Asuka's command, her Angel emerged from the small of her back through two aligned, oval-shaped openings in her plugsuit and cape...

UNIT 02 extended her wings and floated higher into the air. When she was above Asuka's head, she turned around to face the audience looking at them fiercely with solid, light green eyes. A tousled mop of short red hair adorned her head. Her bosom was covered by an orange and purple croptop that clung to her like a second skin and looked to be made out of the same material as Asuka's plugsuit. Around her forearms were yellow bracers. On her hands were gloves of a blue-grayish color. In her hands, UNIT 02 held a red helical staff that branched into two curly tines on one end. From the waist down, she was covered by loops of swirling cloth of pure white. At her back were two large black feathery wings that flapped slightly as she floated in the air. /All in all, UNIT 02 was a beautiful, awesome, fearful sight to behold!/...

Asuka lowered her arms to her sides and opened her hands flat. Her countenance became one of melancholy. "The weapon UNIT 02 is holding in her hands is a /constant/ reminder of my downfall in my last battle when I was alive. It motivates me to be a better Valkyrie in times of war...and a /better person/ in times of peace...Thank you for your help, UNIT 02, you may return now."

UNIT 02 smiled and bowed her head at the audience. A moment later, she returned to Asuka's body from whence she came with the /utmost/ grace, elegance, and dignity...

Asuka paused for a moment before continuing. "It is /my duty/ with help from my assistants such as Hikari to train you all to be the /finest/ members of the Valkyrie Corps. It will be a /trial by fire/ in its intensity that will refine some and consume the rest...For those so consumed, /do not/ be ashamed of yourselves. A place in the Corps will be found for you to serve in that will utilize all the skills and training you have that you were able to obtain. Everyone's help is needed to make the Corps a success...for /Him/...After orientation today, your training begins tomorrow morning /in earnest/...Thank you for your time and attention. Good day to you all-you are all dismissed..." At that, Asuka turned around and walked off the stage, climbing down the stairs she used earlier-disappearing from view...

()()()

As Masane walked to her apartment, her mind swam with all the information she received today. She would be /very/ busy starting tomorrow...Approaching the entrance, she noticed Lind standing there with someone she knew when she was alive! "/Reina/...Lind...what brings you here?"

"Kami-Sama ordered me to escort you two to Earth to see Rihoko...as an incentive for both of you to do your /best/ training to be Valkyries upon your return." stated The Fighting Goddess.

Masane gasped in delight as she stopped in front of Reina and Lind.

"I expect our visit to our daughter to be /most beneficial/ to us, Masane." Reina analyzed cooly.

"Here we go..." Lind warned, raising Her Hand for emphasis.

A moment later, the three became glowing white silhouettes and disappeared...

(X)

/At Mary's Gallery.../

Reina, Masane, and Lind appeared inside Masane's apartment at Mariko's. Lind lowered Her Hand again.

"Hey, this is my old apartment I shared with Rihoko." Masane said, looking around.

"Functional.../nothing special/." Reina observed flatly.

Masane frowned at Reina's comment for a moment then shifted her demeanor to one of thanksgiving. /At least Rihoko and I *had* a place to call home.../

"/Quiet/. Observe." commanded Lind tersely.

A moment later, they saw the door to the apartment open and Rihoko and Takayama walk inside hand in hand.

()()()

"Did you have a good day at work, Daddy?" asked Rihoko, looking up at Takayama.

Takayama smiled back at Rihoko. "Yes I did, Rihoko. I'm in charge of Dohji Group again and I'm beginning to act on the plan I discussed earlier with you and the others...So how was your day?"

"It was good. It's kinda strange being 'home schooled' here. But my teachers are my /friends/...as they were to Masane." replied Rihoko.

That's good. Tomorrow, I'll make arrangements to lift the eviction notice so you and the others.../and I/-can stay here as /long/ as we want." informed Takayama.

"That's /great/, Daddy!" exclaimed Rihoko, squeezing Takayama's hand for emphasis.

/Such trust in me...Rihoko, I'll do *everything* I can to not let you down!/...thought Takayama solemnly. "Get ready for bed now Rihoko, and I'll come tuck you in."

"Ok, Daddy." Rihoko scampered off to get ready for bed.

Takayama paused then continued, "I have to go with Mr. Segawa who is waiting for me downstairs. Thanks to Tozawa and his friend Kyoko, I'm able to come and go from here without being hounded by the media. Rihoko...I'm going to make every effort that tonight is the /only/ night you have to sleep alone without a parent nearby. If all goes well, I'll become the newest resident here starting tomorrow."

"I look forward to that, Daddy." anticipated Rihoko. Dressed in pajamas, she climbed into bed. "I'm ready"

Takayama walked over to Rihoko, bent down, and pulled the covers over her body. After a moment, he kissed her on the forehead. "Goodnight, dear Rihoko."

Rihoko smiled up at Takayama. "Goodnight, Daddy."

At that, Takayama turned and walked to the door to the apartment. He switched off the lights and closed the door behind him...

()()()

Masane, Reina, and Lind watched Rihoko close her eyes and drift off to sleep...

"/Ooooo!/ Isn't she /adorable!/" cooed Masane dotingly. "She looks /so peaceful/ when asleep."

"Indeed." Reina put in analytically, remembering the sight of her daughter asleep in the hospital bed that one night many months ago. "I was in error taking her from you, Masane-for that, I apologize. However, I /did/ protect her from harm like you did-"

"But at the cost of your life.../like my own/." concluded Masane resolutely. "The /ultimate/ expression of a mother's love for their children."

"I must return you two...your training starts tomorrow." observed Lind. Smiling, she added, "I will stay here tonight to keep your daughter safe from harm...by /His/ command."

"Thank you, Lind." Masane and Reina chorused in appreciation, bowing their heads a moment.

"Don't thank me, thank /Him/." amended Lind. At a Thought from The Fighting Goddess, Masane and Reina became silhouettes of light and disappeared-returning from whence they came...A few moments later, Lind said, "Spear Mint, Cool Mint, /come forth!/"

Lind's Angels emerged from Her Back and hovered over Her Head.

Lind positioned Her Hands in front of Her in a certain manner and concentrated. Her Poleax appeared in Her Hands-similar ones appeared in the hands of Her Angels as well. They went over to the bed and surrounded it to guard Rihoko while she slept...

(X) 31. Menace (X)

/The Queendom Of Hild.../

Rie double-checked the results of her latest experiment and sighed with relief. Her success was a bittersweet one. She /finally/ completed the task at hand to the best of her scientific abilities...yet /something/ was still missing from her creation to make it whole...

...Something /beyond/ the realm of science...

"You have done /well/, Rie." came the Voice of The Queen Of Hell behind Rie's back.

Rie whirled around. "Hild-Sama...Uh...nice Labcoat..." a sweatdrop formed on the back of Rie's head.

Hild Smiled at Rie, wearing an open white Labcoat over Her normal, colorful, revealing Attire. "As they say topside... 'Safety First'." She added, tapping the lens of Her Safety Glasses She wore with Her violet colored index Fingernail for emphasis.

Rie blushed with embarrassment, blinking a few times behind the safety glasses she wore. "Indeed."

"Allow Me to add the /finishing touch/ to your creation." Hild Pronounced. She then reached out to Point at the fruit of Rie's labor for Her.

Rie watched as her hand-size apparatus of needles, tubes, wires, and a peculiar red-black crystal become a ball of light on a small tray. When the light went away, it left behind six small gold rings that looked like beautiful women's jewelry. Rie picked one up and examined it closely. "I imagine one of these is for me." She mused, admiring the sparkle of tiny imbedded black and red gems that spiraled around the gleaming surface of the ring in the light of the lab.

"A /fitting/ reward for a job well done. The others are for the resources I have just now brought to you. /Now/, let's go to them." instructed Hild.

The Daimakaicho turned around and, with a Thought, made the labcoats and safety glasses they both wore to vanish. Rie set the ring back down with the others, picked up the tray, and followed behind The Queen Of Hell as She approached a door that opened outward by itself for Her and Rie. The room beyond was a bedroom occupied by five sleeping beauties...

()()()

"Aoi.../Aoi/.../wake up!/"

Aoi opened her eyes and blinked. "Doctor Nishida?...Miss Hild-Sama..."

The Queen Of Hell Smiled at the title the meek pigtailed girl gave Her. /Note to Self: That *sure* would look *good* on some business cards...I'll have Mara get some printed up for Me later/...

"Yes, it's me." replied Rie, smiling down at Aoi-still in bed. "Go and wake Asagi, Maria, Shiori, and Nora in that order. I have an announcement to make that involves /all of us/."

"Yes, Doctor." Aoi complied meekly, getting out of bed to do Rie's bidding...

(X)

/Inside THE VALKYRTERIA, in the Heavens.../

"What /delicious/ food they have here, Reina!" Masane chirped with wide-eyed delight after quickly swallowing a mouthful of food, "It's as tasty as the stuff Rihoko would cook!"

"Agreed." answered Reina between demure mouthfuls of food, "I find the meals here /most/ pleasing to the taste-Ukyo and Makoto and their assistants Shiko and Akane have prepared yet another culinary masterpiece to partake of." Reina placed another morsel of food in her mouth, began chewing, and savored the flavors of the food she ate.

"Reina, I am /glad/ Rihoko is with Takayama. I'm sure he will be a /good/ father to her in our absence." Masane surmised confidently. She ate another mouthful of food.

"I share your confidence, Masane. Takayama has shown himself to be a /most capable/ father to our daughter."

"Our daughter?" Masane repeated, a bit puzzled.

Reina looked Masane in the eyes. "Though I gave birth to Rihoko after Takayama and I /conceived/ her in a moment of passion, /you/ were the one who raised her from the time she was an infant...You were /more/ of a mother to her than I was...You /deserve/ to be called 'mother' by her more than I /ever/ will. In hindsight, my lawsuit to take Rihoko away from you was a /grave error/. For that, I am /truly...deeply/ sorry for my actions which separated the both of you from each other. I am /truly/ thankful that we were both able to keep Rihoko /safe/ from harm when she needed our help the /most/."

Reina and Masane stared at each other-thinking about what they each did to protect Rihoko...Tears of joy, gratitude, and relief filled their eyes and streamed down their faces as they sat in silence gazing at one another's outpouring of emotions...

(X)

"So what's the /catch?/" Asagi asked pointedly, chewing on her fingernail. She and the others were standing around Aoi's bed looking down at the tray of rings Rie placed on top of it for all to see.

"/I don't know/...and I made them-/mostly/." replied Rie. "Hild-Sama did the rest of the work-forming these rings."

"What are they.../really?/" asked Nora pointedly.

"It started out as the next generation of Cloneblade technology, but became what you see now...thanks to /Her/." added Rie.

"A ring for /each one of us/..." mused Maria.

"Untold power and ability /awaits/..." stated Shiori greedily, reaching for one of the rings.

"/STOP!/" exclaimed Rie authoritatively.

Shiori stopped and looked at Rie as did the others.

"We have been selected to form some sort of team. We are considered /equals/ as these rings are all identical." Rie continued, looking toward the others around the bed. Hild listened in from a few steps to one side of the group of women huddled around the bed the tray of rings rested on. "We should put them on /simultaneously/. With these rings, our fate is sealed and shared among us /all/." Rie reached down and picked up a ring in her left hand-ready to put it on her right middle finger. One by one, the others did the same thing. "Now," Rie said softly.

In unison, the six women put on their rings in total silence...

Asagi held up her right hand to examine the ring closely. "Nice jewelry... nothing more it seems..."

The young Goth woman's comment /offended/ Hild, causing Her to Smile impishly. She aimed Her pinkie Finger at Asagi from behind...

"/YEOWCH!/" shrieked Asagi, spinning around to face Hild. She rubbed her backside as the others looked toward her then at The Queen Of Hell. "You /tased/ me!...Sorta..."

"Now now, I will /not/ tolerate /any/ insolence whatsoever." chided Hild gently with a bit of a Smile.

"I apologize for my comment...my buttcheek is still a bit /numb/ though." amended Asagi, wincing as she did so.

Hild held up Her pinkie Finger to show the others the tiny bolt of purple lightning crackling on Her Fingertip there. "I zapped you with /just enough/ force to get your attention and /punish/ you at the same time-about twice the intensity of the /worst/ static electric shock you could get on Earth...a bit more Power from Me and you would have become a pile of ash on the floor." A moment later, She blew a gust of Her Breath over Her Fingertip, causing the tiny lightning bolt to wink out of existence.

Asagi /gulped/ in fear! Her eyes /bulged/ with fright!

"/Really?/" Rie asked eagerly and inquisitively.

Hild smirked, moved Her Hand to Her Bodysuit, and slowly buffed Her Fingernails with /immense/ pride on It. "All this /beautiful/ Jewelry I wear serves a /dual/ purpose...it enhances My /overwhelming/ Beauty and /limits/ the amount of Power I use so I don't accidently do a /lot/ of damage...even with My extremely.../insanely/ fine-tuned sense of Control." She crowed with a Grin.

"So, what could You /do/ at full power?" Rie asked hesitantly.

Hild lowered Her Hand and clasped both Hands behind Her Back. "Sorry, that information is known /only/ to Me...but I can tell you this...Somewhere between 0% and 100% limited power level, I can make /Tsar Bomba/ look like a tiny flame coming from a cheap disposable cigarette lighter." She demurred gravely.

Rie gasped silently, the color drained from her face. She knew from her history studies what the world's largest manmade explosion did to the planet Earth many years ago in the mid-twentieth century...

Seeing Rie's reaction and recognizing it for what it was, the others stood silently before Hild in awe and reverent terror.

Hild looked at the others with silent approval for several moments before She clapped Her Hands twice, causing the others to flinch with dread. "Time to begin training, My Banshees." announced The Queen Of Hell.

Everyone else relaxed with relief.

"Banshees?..." repeated Rie, out of the proverbial loop.

Beaming with pride, Hild placed Her Hands on Her Hips. "You six form an autonomous task force who answer /only to Me/...Other than that, you pretty much have /carte blanche/ to do whatever you want.../after/ you have completed your training and go 'on duty' at that time."

Rie's demeanor soured a bit. "Uh...Hild-Sama...we Banshees aren't going to be like anything seen on those cheesy special effect superhero shows I watched once or twice many years ago that I obtained from archival sources.../are we?/"

Hild held up Her Hands in placation. "Far from it My dear! You all will be the /real deal/ as they say...Come on, your training /awaits/..." Hild gestured toward one wall of the room. As if on cue, a door on another wall opened outward next to a sixth bed intended for Rie's use.

Rie thought for a moment, then shrugged her shoulders. "'In for a penny, in for a pound' as they say...Come along, girls." Rie directed, leading the way to the door and through it as the others fell into step behind her.

Hild walked to the doorway and stood there watching Her charges enter a new, shared future in service to Her...

()()()

"Wow! This place is /amazing!/" Maria gushed in awe and wide-eyed wonder at what she saw before her and the others.

"Looks like some sort of athletic training facility...for us to use to improve ourselves." observed Asagi, looking around.

"And now we are all dressed in attire suitable for the task at hand." added Nora. She and the others were now dressed in red and black athletic shoes, socks, shorts, snug fitting croptops, wristbands, and headbands.

"What are we waiting for? Let's get started!" Shiori exclaimed, impatiently jogging in place a few moments.

"/Indeed/. This training would sure help me out /a lot/." added Aoi, smiling.

Rie turned around to face Hild as did the others a moment later. "How long do we have for our training?" she asked.

"Until /I/ say you are all ready." came a young girl's voice from behind Hild who was Smiling like the proverbial Cheshire Cat.

A young girl who looked like a child version of Hild walked out from behind The Queen Of Hell and stood next to Her. She wore red and black athletic wear like the others with the addition of a red and black baseball cap with 'QUEEN OF THE BANSHEES' in gold lettering on the front. In one small, tan hand she held a stopwatch, pen, and clipboard with a piece of paper clipped to it. In the other hand she held a shiny metal whistle that rattled faintly as the girl jostled it in her hand.

"Cute kid, Hild-Sama...is she your daughter?" asked Asagi, smiling around her fingertip as she chewed on her fingernail.

Grinning at the others broadly, Hild delivered the punchline like a seasoned comedienne, "Even /better/ than that...she's /ME!/"

Everyone else looked at Hild and the little girl blankly for several moments...

Crickets 'topside' could be heard chirping clear down to where Hild and the others were...

The Queen Of Hell sweatdropped in a bit of embarrassment. A moment later, She brought a Fist to Her Mouth and Coughed twice to clear Her Throat. From out of nowhere, a pair of gold wireframe Eyeglasses appeared perched on Her Nose and a red and black Mortarboard atop Her Head. "Uh...let Me explain...you are all familiar with computers-right?"

Everyone else nodded.

"And you know how you can use them to do two or more things at once on them at the same time." Hild lectured helpfully.

Everyone else nodded again in understanding.

"Computer scientists call this technique 'multitasking'...but with ordinary computers this is an illusion. What /really/ happens is that the computer runs each program for a /tiny/ bit of time one after another round robin style. In My case, I /do not/ have this limitation...Running Hell requires almost /all/ My attention...Sometimes a /side project/ comes along that I want to pursue concurrent to my Administrative Duties as CEO of Nifelheim so I /'split into two'/." Hild gestured to the little girl. "/This/ is Chibi-Hild...She is /My/ Avatar-the tangible manifestation of one one-thousandth of /My Full, Total Being/."

Chibi-Hild gave the others a feral smile and bowed. "Pleased to meet you all."

The Eyeglasses and Mortarboard disappeared, replaced by an ornate, jewel encrusted Wristwatch on one of Hild's Wrists that She glanced at. "Would you /look/ at the time...the Daimakaicho's Job is /never/ done-oh well, back to The Office." Hild turned around and walked away from the doorway-the darkness swallowing up Her Voluptuous Form. A few moments later, Her Voice filled the air around the others beyond the doorway, causing them to look around for Hild and not finding Her anywhere. "/Do/ be sure to treat Chibi-Hild as you would treat /Me/...I'll be watching you all.../literally!/" Hild wanted to fill the air with Her Laughter but decided against it: /Too cliche.../

The others gulped and shivered with fear for a moment.

Chibi-Hild took a deep Breath, raised the whistle to Her Lips and blew into it for all She was worth for a moment-startling the others to attention from the loud /FWEET/ it made. She walked out of the doorway toward the others and stopped-the door closing behind Her. "Until I deem you ready to receive power from Me through the rings you now wear, you will undergo /intense/ physical training that will put such programs 'topside' to shame! Your physical training will enable you to wield that power with all the strength, control, expertise, and commitment available within /each and every one of you/..." Chibi-Hild pointed to the athletic field behind the others. "/Now/, go and train well, My Banshees!..." Pronounced The Queen Of Hell's Avatar in a regal, childlike tone.

"/YES, MA'AM!/" the others chorused as one. They then scrambled off to find an activity to do...

The others began their training in earnest as individuals with the first activity that caught their interest. One by one, Chibi-Hild went to each Banshee to observe and measure their performance, record it for later use and analysis, and encourage them to seek and obtain greater levels of athleticism for themselves. The promise of great power and ability given to them and a second chance to prove themselves proved to be a /most/ effective source of inspiration and motivation to each and every one of the women in Hild's private, personal task force. As Her subjects in Her Service, they did their /best/ to make Hild proud to be their Queen.../Queen of the Banshees/...

(X)

/In Kami-Sama's Office in the Heavens.../

"...For now, that is all, Skuld." He Said before He hung up the phone. Looking up, He saw the Door open. "Come in, Ms. Amaha, I have been expecting you."

Bewildered, Masane stepped through the Doorway and closed the Door behind her. She was dressed in her Valkyrie athleticwear. "I didn't expect to wind up /here/ after I left my apartment just now."

He Smiled a bit in amusement. "Step forward, Ms. Soho will be joining you in a few moments."

Masane did as instructed. Sure enough, the Door opened again and Reina, dressed like Masane was, entered the Room.

"Pocketspace at work it seems." The ex-scientist surmised drily. She closed the Door behind her then stepped forward to stand next to Masane.

"All the other escort staff are busy with other tasks so I had to use a more /direct/ method to bring the two of you here to My Office." He Explained apologetically. "Several months from now, as it is measured on Earth, I will send the two of you out on a mission together. Until then, train well as best you both can to increase your skills as much as possible-you will have need of them when the time comes...Open the Door /outward/ on your way out...You are both dismissed."

Masane and Reina bowed. "Yes, Sir!" the both voiced resolutely as one. Both women about-faced and stepped to the Door. Reina opened the Door outward as instructed.

"MORNIN' LADIES! FALL IN WHEN WE COME 'ROUND!" yelled Valkyrie Drill Sergeant Major Melissa Mao in a boisterous, enthusiastic fashion. She was jogging with a group of others known to Masane and Reina along a path that curved right by the Doorway where the two women stood. "I *LOVE* THE SMELL OF SWEAT IN THE MORNING! NOTHING LIKE A LITTLE EARLY MORNING PT TO START YOUR DAY!...IT'S GOOD FOR YOU *AND* GOOD FOR ME!"

Masane and Reina sweatdropped, looked at each other, and /shrugged!/ By then, Mao's group passed by as they went around the curve along the path. Both women ran through the Doorway to catch up with the violet-eyed Valkyrie and the others with her.

With a Chuckle and a Smile, He used His Power to close the Door to His Office...

()()()

"You call.../a DOUBLE MARATHON...a *little PT?*/" wheezed Kiyone with alarm in protest.

"/Suck it up/, you two creampuffs!" Mao countered, not breaking stride. "Life in Galaxy Police and constant, continuous access to all that gee-whiz space technology turned you two into /marshmallows!/ I've been /ordered/ by the C-I-C /Himself/ to get you two into fighting trim.../before/ you turn into widebodies! Look at Lind here...She's not even /breathing hard!/ An 80-klick jog is /nothing/ to Her-NOTHING I SAY...even to Her 'Doublemint Twins' leading the way for us!" Ahead of them, Spear Mint and Cool Mint glided through the air in front of Lind and Mao holding standards of the Valkyrie Corps in their hands that flapped in the gentle breeze that encompased them all. "I /want/ to reach Lind's level of physical fitness someday...so should you two as well!"

"This may sound like I'm bragging but I'm not." began The Fighting Goddess stoically, "Whenever I get an entire Earth week off-duty, I go to the Countryside Sector and jog and swim from one side of the City to the other."

"That's...like.../2400 kilometers!/" Mihoshi piped up, her voice suffused with /great/ physical distress. "Um..Belldandy-San, my heart is about to /explode/ again-please help!"

"Oh my! I can't let that happen-here...let Me help you!" exclaimed The Goddess Of The Present, attired in white, blue and gold athleticwear. She reached out with one Hand and placed it on top of Mihoshi's forearm as she jogged between the two Valkyrie ex-GXP officers.

"Same here, please." Kiyone groaned woozily. Beldandy placed Her other Hand on her forearm and instantly felt better!

"All done! Feel better?" Belldandy beamed with a Smile, moving Her Arms back into a normal jogging gait and movement. "I'll treat you two to tea and cookies when we get back."

"Thank You, Beldandy-San!" Mihoshi and Kiyone chorused happily in eager appreciation.

"That journey is /non-stop/, isn't it?" Reina asked pointedly for confirmation.

"It is." Lind replied flatly.

"What about sleeping?" Masane asked in disbelief.

"Not necessary. I can go as long as one Earth month without any sleep whatsoever if needed...with /no/ loss of ability or mobility." replied Lind.

"And food and drink?" added Reina.

"I send Spear Mint and Cool Mint ahead of Me to procure both and return with them to Me as I go along."

Masane then blushed. "And...well.../you know/..."

"I do /that/ when I am swimming." Lind stated mater-of-factly.

"But then you'd have to take Your Swimsuit off and put It back on when You were done with Your.../business/..." Masane protested hesitantly.

"Ms. Amaha, wearing a Swimsuit would only slow Me down and /not/ make My journey non-stop, would it?" Lind replied cooly.

Masane blushed a /furious/ shade of red in embarrassment at the implication of it all.

The Valkyrie Sergeant Major went ahead and spelled it out anyway. "A 2400-klick, week-long, non-stop jog.../commando style/...that is /so/ fugging HARDCORE Lind!...You GO GIRL! WOO HOO!" Mao yelped with hearty aplomb. "I /gotta/ try that someday...if I get an Angel like Asuka!"

Lind blushed delicately, a bit embarrassed at the situation.

"Won't you foul the City River using It like /that?/" asked Reina with concern.

"Not a problem." Lind replied in an even, deadpan tone she heard used by one of Mao's friends who became a Guardian Of Heaven. "By His Design, any waste put in the Water It contains is /almost instantly purified/ and dispersed so no harm is /ever/ done."

Mihoshi spoke up, voicing the conclusion she came to. "If the fishies and other aquatic life in The River can use It as a toilet, why not Deities and other inhabitants of this City, eh?"

Kiyone felt /just/ a bit nauseous at Mihoshi's words. "Heh-bathrooms...who need them If you /love/ round-the-clock watersports up Here!"

A peculiar grin crossed Mao's face as she jogged along with the others. She /now/ knew the /true nature/ of the Water that filled her private swimming pool located beyond her bathroom in her apartment. When she got back, she'd ask Skuld to come over to install a PocketIceBox on every side of it so she could go on /truly/ marathon skinny dipping sessions without /ever/ having to get out of the pool to eat or /tend to her business/.

The group continued on their jog to its completion as Belldandy restored the vitality of Mihoshi and Kiyone as needed as they went along...

(X)

/In The Queendom Of Hild.../

One by one, the six Banshees filed out of the communal bathroom through the adjoining door, and into the bedroom dressed in red and black nightclothes-having just bathed themselves to get ready for bed after a grueling day of intense training. Under Chibi-Hild's guidance, their bodies had gained ample musculature-yet lost none of their curvaceous femininity. Supplementary combat training honed their reflexes to almost pertanaturally small intervals between stimulus and response. As the last one walked into the bedroom, Chibi-Hild walked into the bedroom thorugh another door as well.

"Good evening ladies." Greeted The Hell Queen's Avatar with a pierceing, feral Smile.

"Good evening, Chibi-Hild-Sama." The others chorused as one.

"Congratulations. You are all ready to begin training as Banshee Cloneblades starting /tomorrow/."

The others shrieked in a mixture of pain and pleasure as enchanted violet lightning arced over their bodies for a second or two. They all collapsed to the floor stunned then stood up again one by one /infused with *incredible* power!/

Aoi bowed to the Hell Queen Avatar in reverent appreciation. "Thank You /very much/, Ma'am...Thank you /for all the *help* You've given me/ Miss Chibi-Hild-Sama."

At Aoi's example, the others bowed to Chibi-Hild and voiced their appreciation as well.

"Thanks for the upgrade...It's bound to come in handy." mused Asagi with a smirk.

"It /finally/ happened...I finally got the /power/ I have been seeking after /for *so* long!/..." Maria observed with a dazed sense of amazement.

"Almost time to 'let 'er rip' with the /real/ training. I can barely wait for /tomorrow!/" Shiori noted with a broad smile.

A knowing look of contentment came across Nora's face. "It never hurts to have all the advantage one is able to get.../or receive from another/."

Like Maria, Rie was dazed in amazement as well. "I /died/ observing the display of such /power/...Now that power had been /given to *me*/..."

Nora turned to Rie and smiled. "Why not show us what /it/ looks like, Rie-san."

Nora's request jolted Rie out of her daze. "Huh?"

"Your Banshee-enhanced Cloneblade form." Asagi clarified.

"I never got a Cloneblade when I was alive." Rie noted, befuddled a bit. "How could I have one now?...Of /course/-the ring I now wear!"

"Correct, Rie-chan." Chirped Chibi-Hild with a Smile.

"Strong emotional distress or battlelust will trigger the change involuntarily." stated Nora.

"/Or/...you can reach /deep/ within yourself, grab hold of the power waiting there for you to use, and transform into your Cloneblade form whenever you want to...on /your/ terms...not the Cloneblade's." instructed Asagi.

Rie sighed deeply to prepare herself then closed her eyes and followed Asagi's instructions as best she could. Moments later, she felt briefly /orgasmic/ as the power within her rose up and clothed her entire body! "Thank you, Chibi-Hild...I can /now/ be prepared to face the Witchblade when the time comes!" A few moments later, Rie opened her eyes and gasped with amazement. Her fellow teammates stood before her transformed into their Banshee-enhanced Cloneblade forms. They were smiling at her to acknowledge her accomplishment. "I have /so many/ questions to ask you all-how to change back to normal for starters."

At that, the other Banshees giggled like schoolgirls for a moment...Chibi-Hild Smiled broadly and slipped out the door to leave.

Nora beamed at Rie. "We'll leave that one for last-before we turn in for the night."

Rie joined the others to learn more about her new form-what it was capable of and what she could do with it...

(X)

(X) 32. Symbol (X)

/Earth, the following spring just before daybreak.../

The residents of Mary's Gallery were standing in front of an object that stood in front of them. In the distance, the sun came up over the horizon. Everything became brighter and brighter-revealing the object to be /a life-sized metal sculpture of someone near and dear to them/...

"Oh, Melony! Even as a lifeless statue, your beauty is /utterly exquisite!/" exclaimed Cho adoringly, his hands pressed together against the side of his face.

Standing next to him, Michael grinned and gave a thumbs-up in silent appreciation.

Mariko's eyebrow twitched in consternation. "/Horndogs/..." she muttered under her breath, looking over at Cho and Michael. A moment later, she looked at the statue again in contemplation. /Oh, Masane.../ she thought in reverie.

"/It looks just like Masane/...the last time we all saw her alive standing on top of Tokyo Tower." added Naomi wistfully, looking off into the distance at the empty spot where the landmark once stood.

Tozawa smirked, gazing at the statue. "At least she's not under a bunch of trees where the birds can sit and /poop/ on her all day long."

Rihoko turned to the newshound. A scowl on her face, she voiced her displeasure, "/Ugh!/ That's /disgusting/, Mr. Tozawa!"

"But a /valid/ point, Daughter." noted Takayama gently, taking a moment to look down at Rihoko before looking at the statue again. "How ironic that one of Cho's Internet acquaintances was a world famous sculptor living here in Tokyo."

"And when you commissioned her to create this statue of Melony, she did it for /free!/... the materials /and/ labor were /on her!/" added Cho, awestruck.

"'A gift to the orphan of a /great/ woman.' she said...Which reminds me-she wanted Rihoko to be the /first one/ to read the inscription at the base of the statue...Go on, Rihoko." prompted Takayama gently.

Rihoko walked over to the statue of her foster mother. "Amaha Masane: Mother...Warrior...Heroine.../Witchblade!/" she recited, reading the kanji and kana inscribed in the base of the statue above groups of Roman letters inscribed there as well. "It looks like it says the same thing in English but uses 'Masane Amaha' instead."

"That's /correct/, Rihoko. That is how people's names are written in the English language." continued Takayama. "The sculptor added the English inscription as an afterthought. She said she didn't want foreigners who couldn't read Japanese to mistake this revered monument as the world's largest 'garage kit'."

Michael smiled while the others chuckled a moment.

"/Come/, I want to show you all something else." invited Takayama. He turned and walked away, the others following him close by...

(X)

/The Valkyrie Training Grounds in the Heavens.../

Reina and Masane were walking together after a /long day/ of physical training-their blue and white athleticwear /glowed/ with their unique scent from their exertions.

"Our training was /most/ productive today, Masane." noted Reina. "However, I find my body somewhat sore from Melissa's physical training regimen she put the both of us through as our personal trainer. Surely a nice long hot bath will soothe all my aches and pains away."

Masane nodded in agreement. "'Orders from /The Top/' Melissa told us when we started-giving us a /big psychotic grin/ with that small white pen clenched in her teeth in the corner of her mouth...Melissa's dazzling violet eyes made her look a bit /insane/ to me." Masane noted with concern.

"It might have something to do with that small white and blue book titled 'The Art Of Warsisters' we've seen her reading from time to time today." Reina elaborated analytically.

Both women walked further on their way in silent contemplation...

(X)

"Lady. Please do not touch." said Rihoko, reading the kanji and kana on the banner tied around a tree trunk. It was above a life-sized crystal figure sitting on the ground and propped up by it that looked /assuredly/ female. "Says the same thing in English like was done on the statue of Mom out by the bay."

"Rihoko..." began Takayama hesitantly, "This is Reina-your /real/ mother-in her Cloneblade form: Lady, before she.../left this life/..."

"What's a Cloneblade?" Rihoko asked.

"A pale imitation of your foster mother Masane-the Witchblade." replied Takayama gently.

"Was she /bad?/" added Rihoko hesitantly.

"That's hard to say, Rihoko. All I know is that she gave her life to protect /yours/. As a result, she became what you see before you-/what amounts to an art gallery exhibit/. I'm afraid I can't do more for her like this...Using her real name on the banner would jeopardize our plans and any attempt to move or even touch her could cause her to crumble to powder like that insane Cloneblade Shiori that attacked me on my cabin cruiser out at sea several months ago."

Rihoko paused for a moment of reflection then pressed her hands together and bowed her head. "/Thank you, Mother/." she said gratefully. The others silently repeated Rihoko's act as a show of respect for Reina...

(X)

/The Valkyrie Training Grounds in the Heavens.../

Reina and Masane approached a bench up ahead. Masane came to a stop and turned to Reina with a serious, questioning look on her face.

"Is there something wrong, Masane?" Reina asked, a bit hesitantly.

"No, Reina. I have a question to ask you."

"What is it?"

"What was it like for you when you /first/ came here?" asked Masane.

Reina paused, then smiled at Masane. "And you as well."

"You first-I saw you /after/ I got here." Masane countered gently, smiling a bit.

"All right, let's sit down on that bench over there. Our stories will likely take quite a while to tell." Reina directed. Masane followed her over to the bench and both women sat down. Reina cleared her throat demurely and began speaking...

()()()

/Earlier.../

Reina slowly opened her eyes-soft golden light poured into them, filling her with peace and tranquility. She looked around and found herself sitting under a tree-Takayama was gone...as was the broadsword that broke off her Cloneblade armor. She looked down at herself. "/I detransformed/..." She murmured, standing up and looking around some more. Reina found herself standing in a beautiful green meadow filled with deep green grass and all sorts of pretty flowers. Reina smelled a bloom on the tree branch next to her and /hummed pleasantly/-closing her eyes to savor the scent of the bloom as it wafted over her olfactory nerves in the inside of her nose...

"Hello there, Reina Soho." greeted a pleasant, feminine voice in front of Reina.

Reina opened her eyes, paused, and /smiled/. Standing in front of her was a beautiful, young, pale-skinned woman with long, light brown hair-some of which stuck up out of the top of her head like curved blades of grass. She was dressed in a flowing white gown covered with a mantle colored blue and gold. The woman wore shiny, golden jewelry which enhanced her beauty /even more/. "And who might you /be/-if I may ask?" asked the ex-scientist with a tiny smirk.

The woman clasped her hands together in front of her and beamed joyously at Reina. "My Name is Belldandy...My Father, Kami-Sama, sent Me here to escort you to His Office to meet you."

At that, /awe and wonder filled Reina's being!/ The surprise showed on her face a bit. For a moment, Reina was at a loss for words before she replied modestly, "Please lead the way, Belldandy-San, we better not keep Your Father waiting for me."

()()()

/At the Door to Kami-Sama's Office.../

"I'll wait for you here, Reina." Belldandy indicated with a Smile.

"Come in, Reina." beckoned a Voice clearly from behind the Door.

Reina nodded back at Her then turned to the Door in front of her. Summoning her resolve, she opened the Door and entered His Office-closing the Door behind her...

Belldandy summoned a mug full of hot tea to enjoy while She waited for Reina to conclude her meeting with Her Father...

()()()

/Sometime later.../

The Door opened and closed and Reina rejoined Belldandy in the hallway. /She had become a Valkyrie/...

Belldandy finished Her tea and dispelled the empty mug. She smiled at Reina. "You /now/ wear garments befitting a Valkyrie when off-duty so there is no need to take you to the fitting room. Follow Me and I will escort you to your living quarters, Reina."

Reina bowed. "As You wish, Belldandy-San. Please lead the way." She followed behind the Woman as She led her to her new home to start her new life as one of the warsisters of Heaven...

()()()

/At the bench Reina and Masane sat on in Heaven.../

Masane was /awestruck!/ Reina's story mirrored her own for the most part. Reina would find her story redundant in some places but not in others as she began to tell Reina her story...

(X)

(X) 33. Path (X)

/Later that day in the park.../

The residents of Mary's Gallery were enjoying a picnic under a nice blue sky...

"What a /wonderful/ lunch you made for us all, Rihoko!" complimented Mr. Cho happily.

"Thank you, Mr. Cho..." Rihoko replied, then added soberly, "Too bad both my Moms couldn't be here /now/ to share it with us..."

()()()

"We're /here/, Rihoko.../He/ sent us to be with you today..." Masane said aloud in a heartfelt tone, observing the picnic from across the way with Reina by her side.

"They seem to be enjoying themselves." mused the ex-scientist analytically.

"If only we could reveal ourselves to her /right now/ to cheer her up." continued Masane wistfully.

"That is /out/ of the question! It is not her time yet.../He/ said so." countered Reina sternly.

"/I know/, it's-" began Masane. Noticing movement out of the corner of her eye, she glanced in that direction. "/Over there!/" she warned Reina, pointing at what caught her interest.

Reina arched an eyebrow. "We have /unwanted/, uninvited guests." She mused drily with displeasure.

Across the way, stood Nora. Maria was standing next to her.

"Fancy meeting you two here..." Nora observed in a calm, unflappable tone.

"Coincidence...I think /not/." replied Reina curtly.

"You two have /changed/...your clothes at least." observed Masane hotly, her ire rising...

Maria chortled derisively, placing her hands on her hips. "The /same/ could be said of you two as well!"

Nora gave Reina a piercing gaze. "Care for a rematch?" she purred with /great/ interest.

Reina frowned at Nora. "Due to the circumstances, I /accept/ your challenge, Nora."

Nora smiled at Reina and transformed into her Banshee form. It looked just like her Cloneblade form when she was alive-but now colored red and black.

Reina shifted forms as well-her Valkyrie Cloneblade form white and blue. "We /still/ have unfinished business between us it seems..." She noted ominously, raising the broadsword attached to her left arm up in front of her body as a shield.

Nora chuckled demurely, staring at Reina. She lifted her grappling claw up in front of her face and peered through the tines at her nemesis.

Sensing carnage at hand, Maria yielded to bloodlust! Grinning maniacally, she transformed into her Banshee Cloneblade form-a comely yet nightmarish vision of red, black, and blonde. "I /will not/ lose to you again!" she exclaimed proudly to Masane.

Masane ran to interpose herself between Maria and the group from Mary's Gallery to protect them-transforming into the Blade Of Light. Crossing her arms over her body to protect it as best she could, she growled back, "We'll see about that!" fixing Maria with a piercing, defiant stare.

The four warsisters, paired off as they were, ran toward each other to fight one on one-for as long as needed to determine the final outcome...

()()()

"Daddy, why did my Moms.../become fighters?/" asked Rihoko.

"Reina did it for /scientific curiosity/." Takayama explained tersely. "/Fate/ made Masane the Witchblade. She fought because I blackmailed her to do so as Dohji Group's 'attack dog'-treating her as /expendable/ at first just to get the Witchblade itself for the Group's benefit should she die.../Rihoko/...I'm /deeply/ sorry I treated your foster mother that way in the beginning-she didn't deserve such treatment.../nobody does/. I did what I could to make it up to her.../and to you/."

Rihoko turned and hugged Takayama. "Thank you, Daddy!" she said happily.

()()()

At that, Masane's heart filled with joy and the courage of a rampant lioness-her fighting spirit /increased!/ She drove Maria away from the others-toward where Reina and Nora were fighting.../savagely/...

As Maria edged closer to Reina and Nora, she waited for a moment of opportunity while struggling to keep Masane at bay. Reina knocked Nora's weapon away from her with her own. Nora readied herself for another strike. Maria grabbed Reina's broadsword with one of her ponytails and pushed against it. This distraction left Reina's body exposed to attack for a /crucial/ moment-which Nora /instantly/ took advantage of...

"REINA!" Masane screamed in wide-eyed shock, seeing her Valkyrie warsister slide lifelessly off Nora's weapon-having been /just run through the heart!/ As she fell to the ground, Reina faded away to nothingness!...

Maria leapt back from Masane. "Chalk one up for the /bad girls/...see ya'!" the blonde Banshee Cloneblade bounded off and was gone...

Masane /seethed/ with white-hot rage! She turned to face Nora-her eyes /glowing blue/-as bright as the sun in the sky overhead! "I /must/ avenge Reina! Do you want to go /quickly/...or /slowly?/" she growled fiercely.

"A /quick/ exit on my part would deny you what you now seek." Nora observed with a sigh of resignation, lifting her weapon up in front of her face. "I /must/ pay for what I've done to Reina... as will Maria when the time comes I'm sure...May you find the /pleasure and satisfaction/ that you seek in my protracted demise."

"Thank you." replied Masane though gritted teeth-her rage about to boil over.

Yelling a thunderous war cry, Masane stormed at Nora, allowing the bloodlust within her to guide her attacks...

()()()

Rihoko and the other residents of Mary's Gallery continued to enjoy their pleasant spring day picnic at the park-unaware of the act of vengeance taking place in the unseen realm that encompassed them all...

(X)

/In Kami-Sama's Office in the Heavens.../

Kami-Sama and Lind watched the /vicious/ battle between Masane and Nora on the TV in His Office. "Ms. Mao trained Ms. Amaha /well/ but The Blade Of Light /has need/ of specialized combat training that only /You/ can give her, Lind. Please attend to this task as soon as possible after I dismiss You and You leave My Office."

"Yes, Sir. At /once/, Sir." replied The Fighting Goddess stoically.

(X)

/Later.../

"/Well done/, Masane." Nora sighed exhaustedly from across the way. "I have almost /no more/ fight in me to give you... /Now...*consummate* your retribution!/"

"Thank you, Nora." answered Masane, tears streaming down her cheeks-finally free to do what she felt /compelled/ to do.

The moment past, both women ran at each other, yelling loudly. When they drew near to each other, Nora lunged her weapon at Masane. Masane, in turn, raised her weapon to parry the blow. An instant later, she extended her other sword and /ran Nora through with it!/ Nora's warcry cut off /instantly/-a look of shock and surprise on her face-her demise mirroring Reina's...

Masane's warcry trailed off into wracking sobs of anguish. Standing alone, she covered her face with her gauntleted hands-her swords slowly retracting back into her forearms...

(X)

/In the Heavens.../

In His Office, Kami-Sama picked up the phone and contacted His youngest Daughter. "Skuld, it is I."

"Yes, Father." The Goddess Of The Future acknowledged reverently and expectantly.

"The Blade Of Light needs help /right now/. Send Mr. Cho to her." He directed.

"At once, Father, Goodbye." replied Skuld.

"Goodbye, My Daughter." returned Kami-Sama. He hung up a moment later.

()()()

In Her Office, Skuld hung up the phone and began to tap at Her Desktop with Her Fingertips-using the touch-sensitive computer terminal built into It to send a particular command to the World Tree Computer System. "Back in the old days, I used a pair of golden shears. Now, I just type a bit and press 'OK' to verify and commit the change..." mused The Goddess Of The Future, pressing Her Finger to Her Desktop...

(X)

/In the park.../

"That you, Melony?.../Why/ are you crying? What's wrong?" asked Mr. Cho with concern, seeing Masane heartbroken across the way. He stood up and walked toward her as the others watched him in stunned silence.

"Melony? You /hallucinating/, you old goat?" Mariko harrumphed concernedly.

"Yeah, old man. I see nothing but a large bed of flowers over there." added Tozawa in disbelief.

Rihoko gasped. "You can /see/ my Mom?" she asked in awe and amazement, remembering the /fateful/ day they had lunch there months ago before the night Masane saved the city-giving her life in exchange for its continued existence and the well-being of the people within it...

"Here comes Mr. Cho to the rescue!" he declared, walking toward the flowerbed where he saw Masane standing in sorrow.

Several steps later, /he collapsed to the grass!/...

()()()

Masane looked over at Mr. Cho. "You can /see/ me?"

"Oh Melony! You look /even more gorgeous/ dressed in your white and blue armor! Why that lock of blue hair on your forehead above your blue eyes is /utterly adorable!/ To gaze upon your fierce, bountiful loveliness.../it takes my breath away!/" declared Mr. Cho adoringly.

Masane's exposed skin turned rosy with embarrassment. It deepened color when she saw a bit of blood trickle from one of Cho's nostrils! Smiling at him, she quipped, "Young or old, you are ever the horndog like Mariko said." She pointed behind him.

"Huh?" muttered Cho, turning around to look. "/Oh, my!/"

()()()

Takayama crouched down and placed his fingertips on Cho's neck. A few moments later, he sighed dejectedly and stood back up. "No pulse. /He's gone/."

Segawa pulled out his cell phone. "Director, I'm calling Inspector Nakata and Tozawa's friend Kyoko right now to help.../minimize difficulties/."

Takayama nodded silently, giving Segawa his consent.

()()()

Cho wiped a tear from his eye with a hand. "My passing has hurt little Rihoko the /worst/-I feel bad for her!...Can't we /show/ her I'm OK?"

Masane blinked away the tears that trickled from her eyes and rolled down her cheeks-the talons on her gauntlets prevented her from wiping them away as Cho did his. "I'm sorry, Mr. Cho, we /can't/. It is /not/ Rihoko's time yet...like Reina said earlier."

"/Rihoko's birth mother/...where is she?" asked Cho, looking around.

Masane fell to her knees, bowing her head and crying profusely! "She's /gone!/... by Nora's hand!"

"Wasn't she a Cloneblade?" Cho asked, remembering the time he saw her information on one of the data drives Tozawa took from the NSWF headquarters while rescuing Masane from the place.

Masane nodded. "Nora was.../similar/...to Reina and I...but /evil/...like Maria...who was with her." explained Masane in a determined tone, lifting her beautiful, tearstained face for Cho to see.

"So, what happened?"

Masane clenched her hands into fists at her sides. "Maria got away.../but Nora didn't!/"

"Revenge, then." Cho surmised.

Masane glared up at Cho intensely. "/I *lost* control/...The battlelust was /exquisitely delicious/ like the second time I became the Witchblade for Takayama to test my abilities...It was /orgasmic/ in a way...When it passed, Nora was /so/ broken, I had to /'put her down'/ when she made on last feeble attack against me. I had repaid dishonor with /further/ dishonor and felt /extremely/ bad about it...It took your passing and our conversation just now to make me come to my senses and /remind/ me of my solemn duty."

"Which /is?/..." Cho asked expectantly.

"To protect you all while you all live and to be there to /personally/ escort each one of you to /Him/ when your appointed time comes." explained Masane solemnly.

A few moments passed in silent contemplation...

Smiling, Masane dispelled her gauntlets, and held out her arms as a cradle to him. "/Now/...climb into my arms and /rest/...Your Earthly journey /is at an end/. We will be taking off in a few moments."

"Huh? /Where's/ the plane?" Cho asked, puzzled. There wasn't an airport in sight!

Still smiling at Cho, Masane extended her wings for him to see. The engines came on a moment later and spooled up to full power. "AIR MELONY, /READY/ FOR TAKEOFF!" she exclaimed triumphantly.

Cho eagerly climbed into Masane's arms and wrapped his arms around her neck to hold on. Kissing her on the cheek, he cried, "Ready when /you/ are, Madam Captain!"

"Hold on tight-/here we go!/" Masane warned happily.

Masane and Cho rose slowly straight up into the sky. They looked down one last time to see the others recede from view. As Masane poured on the velocity, they looked up with great hope and expectation for the journey and destination yet to come...

()()()

/In the park at dusk that day.../

"So /what/ killed the old geezer?" asked Nakata, wide eyed with grim determination, his fan in his hand.

"Old age, sir." replied the coroner, "No foul play /whatsoever/ for a change...Luckily we got here before he stiffened up too badly for me to make that determination."

"Go on," urged Nakata, staring at the coroner intensely.

"Sir, there's /nothing/ more to tell-his heart stopped, he breathed out his last breath, and collapsed dead /right here/." added the coroner. He looked up at Nakata. "Is it OK to tag and bag him?"

"Yeah, go ahead." Nakata permitted.

The inspector turned to face Takayama who was standing with his hands on Rihoko's shoulders-who was standing in front of him grief-stricken, watching the coroner and his assistant prepare Cho's body for removal from the scene of his demise. "That's /stone cold/ to make a young kid watch this, Takayama-who is she, anyway?"

With a straight face, Takayama /stretched/ the truth! "She is an orphaned relative of mine. Both of her parents are dead."

"Yeah, yeah," consented Nakata, "and Tozawa's media contact lady friend is here to help keep a lid on things so there isn't any scandal to sink you like a stone."

"That is /correct/, Inspector." answered Takayama. "Will that be /all?/"

"Yeah. Me and the guys packing up your late friend will do our part to keep quiet so you don't get ousted from Dohji Group again. Since you came back, I've had nothing but /normal/ crimes to deal with for a change!"

"It is my intention to /keep/ things that way, as head of Dohji Group, Inspector." promised Takayama stoically.

"Right then. We'll leave now so you guys can grieve in private. Have your man Friday Segawa give me a call in a few days to release the body to him so you guys can cremate the old fart and give him a /proper/ memorial service."

"Thank you for your help, Inspector." stated Takayama appreciatively.

"Your welcome." Nakata answered gruffly, closing up the fan and placing it in an inside pocket of his weather-beaten trench coat. He turned to the coroner and his assistant. "All right, guys. Let's /move out/ with the stiff!"

The three men walked away, bearing Cho's corpse inside a body bag strapped to a wheeled gurney...

"That Nakata sure is one /tough/ fortune cookie." observed Kyoko, bemused.

"The man /personifies/ the term 'hard boiled'." Tozawa added, a bit awestruck.

Naomi stood nearby. Michael was next to her. "Oh, Mr. Cho...I hope you are /happy/ now-wherever you are!" sobbed the shy fortuneteller. A moment later, she bawled loudly, hugging Michael tightly to her-desperate for comfort.

Michael gingerly hugged Naomi to himself without disturbing the outpouring of her grief. A /single/ tear formed in one eye and rolled down his face, the only sign of grief from him for his fallen friend and former fellow resident of Mary's Gallery...

(X)

/Later.../

"/Yee-ha!/ Now /this/ is first class! I'm young and virile again...and cradled in the arms of a /gorgeous/ angel babe! I'm in Heaven!" exclaimed Cho happily, kissing Masane on the cheek again.

"Almost, Mr. Cho." replied Masane with a smile. "We're almost /there/...Look..."

Cho paused to gaze upon the /incredible/ sight before him. "It's /beautiful/...just like you!" he stated, full of awe and wonder.

"Welcome to your /new/ home, Mr. Cho!" Masane announced joyously.

She approached the walled outskirts of the shining City with her precious cargo nestled in her outstretched arms.../the departed soul of a dear, close friend/...

(X) 34. Reprisal (X)

/The Queendom Of Hild.../

Utterly /furious/, Rie backhanded Maria with all the strength she could muster! "DAMN YOU! HOW /COULD/ YOU DO SOMETHING /SO COWARDLY?/" the ex-scientist roared apoplectically, her eyes glowing red-her anger a blazing inferno raging through her entire being! She looked some two meters away where Maria landed on the floor of their bedroom. "/ANSWER ME!/"

Maria wiped away a trickle of blood in the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand. Glancing at the blood, she stood up and looked Rie straight in the eyes! "It seemed the /right/ thing for me to do at the time."

Rie gasped in shock-the crimson glow fading from her eyes! "/How/...how could you /do/ such a thing?" she asked, incredulous. "Doesn't the concept of teamwork /mean/ anything to you?"

"Only when it suits /me!/" Maria explained haughtily. "When I was alive, I was just a pawn in Father's chess game. When I killed him, I became /Queen...and *absolute* ruler/-making /all/ the moves myself!"

Rie paused to reflect on what Maria had just said. "Your insolence ends /here and now/, Maria!" declared Rie coldly. "Either /you/ embrace nothingness or /I/ will!"

"Huh? What do you /mean?/" asked Maria, a bit fearful.

"If you want to lead the Banshees, then /earn/ it!" exclaimed Rie. "Defeat the Witchblade and you can /execute/ me personally." as her eyes began to glow again, she added ominously, "Refuse, and I /will/ do my /best/ to end your existence in this realm...starting /right now!/... Make your choice!..."

()()()

Hild chewed a Mouthful of popcorn She had plucked from the small paper tub She held in Her other Hand. She Purred with Delight after seeing the altercation in the Banshee's bedroom on the /huge/ flatscreen TV mounted on a side wall in Her Office. It was the Twin to the one in the Office of Kami-Sama in Heaven.

"/For a woman, Rie sure has *grown* quite bloodthirsty/ as leader of My team." The Queen Of Hell mused, a Smile of satisfaction on Her Face.

/Knocknock/

Hild pointed at the TV with Her index Finger-it turned off a moment later. She dispelled the tub of popcorn in Her Hand and swiveled around in Her Chair to face the Door. She clasped Her Hands together and placed Them on top of Her Desk in front of Her. "That you, Ma-chan?" She asked invitingly.

"Yes, Hild-Sama. I have the business card designs with me for Your perusal so You can select one to be printed." came Mara's slightly muffled voice through the Door to Hild's Office.

"Come in, Ma-chan." beckoned The Queen Of Hell.

The Door opened, and Mara walked into Hild's Office carrying a small red and black leather portfolio. She closed the Door behind her and walked over to Hild's Desk. She handed the portfolio to her Boss with a bit of a smile. "Here you are, Hild-Sama."

"Thank you, Ma-chan." Hild opened the portfolio up and Looked over the various business card designs it contained for several minutes. "/Hmm/...This one will do /nicely/." Hild held Her Hand up and a beautiful red, black, and gold fountain pen appeared in Her Palm. She used the pen to circle the design She chose. She then dispelled the pen, closed the portfolio up, and handed it back to Mara. "Have /that/ design I circled printed up for Me as soon as possible, Mara. Thanks again for your assistance. You may go now."

"Yes, Ma'am." Mara turned and left Hild's Office-leaving The Queen Of Hell alone with Her Thoughts as She returned to Her Administrative Duties as the Chief Executive Overseer Of Nifelheim...

(X)

/One day that summer, in the park.../

The Blade Of Light faced the blonde Banshee Cloneblade. The other four Banshee Cloneblades surrounded them-forming an impromptu arena...

"I /must/ not lose to you!" Maria stated in simple determination, shifting her stance.

Masane nodded silently and walked toward Maria.

Maria flung an arm toward Masane, intending to stab the Blade Of Light with the five black talons that extended themselves from her fingertips.

In an instant, Masane stopped and calmly raised a gauntlet in front of her to block Maria's attack. With the other hand, she backhanded Maria's talons with her own on her gauntlet-/cutting through them/.

Maria gasped and pulled her hand back. She saw the last of her extended talons disappear into nothingness, leaving them flush with her fingertips-never to grow anymore.

Masane resumed walking toward Maria.

Maria lashed out at Masane with her ponytails.

Masane grabbed the ends in both hands and yanked down sharply with both arms. Maria lost her footing and fell /face down/ to the ground.

Maria stirred to get up but was yanked toward Masane and landed back on the ground...face down.../time and time again!/...

Masane looked down at Maria, face down on the ground some two meters away, for the /slightest/ sign of movement-and treachery-from the fallen Banshee Cloneblade.

Maria slowly tucked her taloned hand under her body. "You win, Witchblade.../congratulations!/..." she declared defeatedly.

Masane heard Maria whimper feebly for a moment and saw her go still. In the space of several seconds, Maria disappeared into nothingness.

"Maria has paid for her cowardice /in full/...by her /own/ hand." declared Rie, power fountaining into her and the other three Banshee Cloneblades at Maria's passing...

Masane looked at Rie-her body outlined by a scintillating red aura that faded from view-and smirked. "I've been /training/..." warned the Blade Of Light confidently, anticipating another attack.

"As have we /all/, Witchblade." Rie replied coolly, placing her hands on her hips for emphasis. "/As did Maria/...That is enough for today...Until we meet /next time/..."

Masane watched Rie turn and bound off. A moment later, the other three Banshee Cloneblades followed her. "/Oh, Reina/." She murmured, bowing her head-alone with her thoughts.

"Masane Amaha." chorused two feminine voices a few moments later.

Masane looked up and gasped. "Skuld...Lind...what brings you two here?" she asked, surprised.

"You have done /well/ today, Blade Of Light. I will give you /more/ training when you return to Heaven. You will have need of it for your future encounters with the Banshees." explained The Fighting Goddess.

"After you bring Mariko to Father...It is her time now.../He has decreed it/." added The Goddess Of The Future.

Masane began to weep, a mixture of sadness and joy for the task ahead of her. "/Understood...Goodbye/..." she extended her wings, her engines spun up to full power.

"Goodbye Masane Amaha, Blade Of Light." both Goddesses Chorused. They watched Masane rise slowly into the sky and fly off to do /His/ bidding...

(X) 35. Release (X)

/Mariko's apartment bedroom at the Natsuki Building.../

"I /really/ miss that old horndog." sighed a bedridden Mariko wistfully in a thin, raspy, weak voice.

She could barely be heard above the relentless /hiss/ of oxygen sprayed into her nostrils from the cannula she wore on her face. The other residents stood around the side and foot of the bed and looked at her with a mixture of concern and sadness.

"It's been /six months/ since Cho died." stated Tozawa evenly.

Mariko coughed for a few moments-gasping for air as best she could before she settled down again. "I should have heeded the warning labels on those /blasted/ packs!" she said, frowning. A moment later, she gave a faint smile to Rihoko who was kneeling next to the bed. "I'm gonna miss you all-/especially you/, Rihoko."

"/Oh, Mariko!/" Rihoko sobbed, squeezing the bedridden matron's hand for emphasis.

"Naomi." Mariko addressed the shy fortuneteller, "I want /you/ to run Mary's Gallery when I'm gone-I've said so in my will. It'll give you something /better/ to do than sit in the corner of the parlor by the window waiting for fortunetelling clients to come in to see you from off the street."

Naomi bowed her head for a moment in thanksgiving. "Thank you, Mariko."

The dying matron looked at the head of Dohji Group and his assistant. "Takayama, you and Segawa expedite the probate proceedings. I don't want Naomi to /die/ while waiting for the process to complete itself." directed Mariko.

Takayama and Segawa bowed in respect. "It shall be done by your request, Mariko." saluted Takayama verbally.

"/OH, MARIKO!/" blubbered Naomi hysterically. She ran out of Mariko's bedroom. Her footsteps could be heard receding into the distance.

Mariko sighed sadly. "Leave Naomi be for now."

The matron turned her head to the other side of the bed to look out the window into the bright blue afternoon sky. Off in the distance, she saw something approach her window at high speed-slowing down as it drew near her window.

Mariko gasped weakly in wide-eyed surprise! "Cho /wasn't/ seeing things before he died-/Air Melony/ has arrived to get her next passenger!"

()()()

Hovering outside Mariko's bedroom, Masane pressed her hands against the windowpane and pushed forward lightly. Her hands and arms phased through the window followed by her head and upper body.

"/Come, Mariko/...time to leave your infirmities behind. /He/ is waiting for you." beckoned the Blade Of Light, extending a hand to Mariko.

()()()

The bedridden matron reached up with great effort-not taking her eyes off of Masane. "I'm not one for long goodbyes so /goodbye you all/..." Mariko reached forward and grabbed Masane's hand...

()()()

Masane placed her other hand on top of Mariko's. She pressed down gently then carefully reversed the thrust of the engines on her wings. She floated backward and pulled Mariko out of her dying, disease-ridden body in one smooth, continuous motion.

Mariko inhaled as deeply as she could, held it a moment, then exclaimed triumphantly, "/AAAAAAAAH!/...I can /breathe/ again!...I feel /so alive!/...Thank you, Masane!"

"Don't thank me, thank /Him/ when we get there." Masane corrected gently, repositioning her arms. "Grab hold around my neck with your arms and I'll carry you cradled in my arms."

Mariko did as Masane asked. "Won't I be too heavy for you?"

"Right now, Mariko, you'd look /gorgeous/ in that white bikini I wore to the beach that one day long ago." Masane complimented cheerfully.

Mariko's eyes /sparkled/ with delight! "/Really?/ Thank you!" Thinking a bit further, she added with a frown, "I better not wear anything like that around Cho now or he might have another 'cardiac event'!"

Both women laughed for a few moments...

"Ready to go?" asked Masane softly with a warm smile.

Mariko looked back through her bedroom window and saw the others file slowly out of the room grief-stricken to various degrees. She saw Takayama turn the valve on the oxygen tank off and reach over her body to place her lifeless arm back on the bed. Gently, he tugged at Rihoko. Understanding, the young girl let Mariko's lifeless hand slip from her grasp. She stood up and allowed her father to lead her from the room.

"/Now/ I am. Let's go." Mariko stated flatly.

"Hold on tight. Here we /go/." Masane warned pleasantly.

Both women rose up into the sky-higher and faster until they disappeared in a tiny flash of light...

(X) 36. Shift (X)

/One night, seven years later.../

Tozawa reached into his pants pocket to get his car keys. He had just walked out of a bar where he met someone who had a tip on a juicy story for him.

"Gimme your car keys." demanded a voice behind him. A /click/ sounded ominously. "Don't even /think/ of running or calling for help."

Tozawa's blood ran cold! He gulped in fear. "So you /finally/ caught up to me like that one day years ago out on the street."

"That I did /you *jerk*/...now hold up those keys!"

Tozawa winced as he felt something press into the small of his back. He paused and retrieved an /alternate/ set of keys from his pocket and held them up. An instant later they were snatched from his hand. He heard the car door open and someone get inside a moment later.

"Turn around, get in, and close the door. One false move and you are /dead!/"

Tozawa did as instructed. "Melony!" he exclaimed, glancing in the rearview mirror. He saw the Blade Of Light sitting in the backseat nod her head then press her finger to her lips.

"What?" replied the man with blonde and white hair from the passenger seat. "Thinking about that /hot/, top-heavy, brown-haired chick you was with that day long ago?"

"Uh.../yeah/." admitted Tozawa, flustered, seeing Masane scowl back at him. "But not in that /way/." He saw Masane blush in embarrassment and mouth the word /gomen/.

"Whatever." dismissed the man. "Start driving."

"Where to?" asked Tozawa.

"Someplace quiet where we can talk /alone/...Let's go-/no tricks...or *else!*/"

Tozawa smirked inwardly as he started the car and pulled away from the curb. /If only you knew/...

(X)

/In the Heavens.../

Skuld answered Her phone in Her Office. "Skuld here.../Father/...Yes, Father, I /will/ be watching and waiting." Skuld hung up the phone and devoted Her /full/ attention and commitment to the task at hand...

(X)

/Later.../

"We're here. Stop the car and get out." ordered the man.

Tozawa did as told and looked around. His eyes bulged in recognition! He realized he was in the place Masane fought the insane Cloneblade Shiori some seven years ago. Masane lost the battle and was rescued by some guys in a white van who worked for Takayama.

"Over /there/-start walking."

Tozawa walked to the pillar in front of him. It had been patched up but the repairs to it did little to hide the damage Masane caused it when she /slammed/ into it during her battle that night back then...

"Turn around"

Tozawa paused, then did so. He saw the man point the muzzle of a silenced pistol at him. Behind him stood Masane smiling /and crying!/

"You look pretty calm.../for a soon-to-be dead man/."

Tozawa smiled back at Masane and the man. "So I do." /Peace beyond all comprehension/ filled Tozawa's entire being. /He was *ready*/...

"Goodbye,"

(X)

/In the Heavens.../

Skuld tapped 'OK' on Her Desktop. "Father.../it is *done*/." whispered The Goddess Of The Future reverently to Herself...

(X)

"/Tozawa/." Masane called, walking to the young newshound.

"/Melony/, nice to see you again...Nice outfit." Tozawa looked across the way and frowned. "/Now he's stealing my car!/...I hope the satjack system Cho got off the Net for me for it does its job!"

The Blade Of Light stopped in her tracks. "/That/...doesn't matter /anymore/, Tozawa." stated Masane, crying profusely. She walked toward the young newshound again.

At that moment, everything /clicked/. Tozawa turned around to look at the pillar then down at this feet...

"'Fug center mass.../shoot 'em in the face!/' that Netpicture said..." observed the young newshound glumly with disgust. "I must have ticked him off /real bad/ back then for him to do this to me /now!/..." Tozawa turned around again.

The Blade Of Light stood in front of Tozawa-her armor gleaming and sparkling in the available light...

Tozawa gasped with surprise and wonder at the sight of Masane. "You look absolutely...breathtakingly.../gorgeous/...you cosplay nightmare!" praised Tozawa, awestruck.

"Thank you, Tozawa." replied Masane, tears streaming down her face. "Let's go now, /He/ is waiting for you." She held her hand out to Tozawa...

Tozawa reached out to grasp Masane's hand...

Laughter suddenly filled the air.../cold, haughty, and derisive!/...

Masane and Tozawa flinched at the sound-their hands moved apart. They looked up across the way and saw someone familiar stand atop a tall light pole-dressed in skimpy red and black attire-laughing and looking down at them from their perch...

Tozawa frowned. "/Her again/...different getup though."

"Shiori!" Masane fumed, summoning her gauntlets. "Stay behind me, Tozawa!" she warned.

The tall, short-haired Banshee Cloneblade jumped down to the ground and walked toward them-leering evilly.

"I grew /tired/ and /bored/ of relentless exercises and training and longed for a /real fight/." explained Shiori in a sultry gurgle. "So I persuaded that man to do my bidding to flush you out of hiding, Witchblade!"

For a moment, Masane was /speechless!/ "He /murdered/ Tozawa!" she cried in alarm at Shiori's /callous/ disregard for the slain newshound-being used as a means to an end /and *then* disposed of by murder into *death!*/...

"What/ever/. I got what I wanted.../you!/" Shiori stopped and took up a battle-ready stance. "Ready to begin your dance into /oblivion/, Witchblade?"

Ire and rage swelled within Masane. She tried to control herself, but failed.../in a most spectacular fashion!/

Shiori and Tozawa watched Masane start to laugh-quiet, dainty titters at first, but it grew louder and /more/ boisterous! She tilted her head back and laughed /triumphantly/-two beams of luminous, deep blue light pierced the night sky, shining from her upturned face! Sparkling dots of bright blue light appeared from nowhere and lined the blue trim of her armor!

A sweatdrop formed on the back of Shiori's head.../I am *so* seriously hosed.../

"Is that light...coming from /her eyes?/" Tozawa murmured in wide-eyed disbelief...

Masane looked at Shiori again-her eyes shining like blue stars! Still laughing, she walked toward the Banshee Cloneblade-watching her backpedal to keep her distance between them constant. "Challenge accepted, Shiori.../BRING IT!/"

At that moment, both women ran to each other and fought one another with /total, ferocious abandon!/

Tozawa gasped at the spectacle before him! /This is *better* than the *last* time! Masane isn't *losing!*...But she *isn't* winning, either/... Just then, Masane sailed through the air toward him, hit the ground, and rolled to a stop face up at his feet.

"Think she's had enough?" Masane asked, her face bruised and scratched. She smiled up at Tozawa, her teeth stained with her blood!

Tozawa looked down at her worriedly. "What about you?" Tozawa replied, concerned.

"I'll be alright. I'm waiting for the right time to end this fight /once and for all/-it hasn't come yet." Masane stood up, paused to prepare herself, then ran back to Shiori to rejoin the battle...

(X)

/In the Heavens.../

With /great/ Delight, Kami-Sama Watched Masane fight Shiori on His TV in His Office. Seeing the Blade Of Light mete out His Wrath upon the wicked Banshee Cloneblade brought a broad Smile to His Face...

(X)

/Later.../

Shiori was very winded and nearing /total/ exhaustion.

Masane was not much better off. The blue lights on her armor brightened and dimmed in time with the her labored breathing brought about by her frenzied exertions.

Out of desperation, Shiori swung her arm-scythe in an upward arc at Masane.

Masane leaned back-just enough that Shiori's weapon passed in front of her harmlessly with a scant centimeter to spare. Seeing Shiori twist her arm at the top of her swing, Masane crouched down an instant later-ready to strike. Shiori's arm-scythe passed over the top of Masane's head-slicing off the two long fronds of hair that sprouted there. When the shadow passed away over Shiori's body, Masane leaped for the Banshee Cloneblade-thrusting the talons of one gauntleted hand into Shiori's chest.

Shiori shrieked in utter agony as she fell to the ground-Masane collapsing on top of her.

"/I win!/" gloated Masane, a broad feral grin on her blood-splattered face. The blue dots of light on her armor sparkled brightly in a stroboscopic manner, to commemorate her victorious achievement. She watched Shiori fade to nothingness underneath her. The blue dots of light faded away as well-leaving behind the blue trim of Masane's armor visible in its entirety.

Tozawa saw Masane stand up, turn around, and walk to in front of him-dispelling her gauntlets as she went along. As he heard sirens blare in the distance and approach them, he saw Masane hold out her hand to him again and smile. A moment later, he reached out and grasped her hand with his own and smiled back at her. He leaned in and kissed her on the lips for some time to say to her...in unspoken, heartfelt words.../thank you!/...

(X) 37. Calm (X)

/Mary's Gallery, six years later.../

Naomi stood in front of a picture frame hanging on one wall of the parlor in front of the bar. It held a yellowed newspaper page documenting the final disposition of Tozawa's murder case. A few moments later, she began to weep. "All the residents of the Natsuki Building have left or are leaving-except /me/." she turned around and saw Rihoko, now a young twenty-year old woman, stand in front of Segawa, Michael, and Takayama who were all middle-aged.

"Come stay with us at Dohji Group, Naomi. You can join Takayama's staff like I did as his secretary." Rihoko offered.

Naomi smiled sadly. "I /can't/ Rihoko-I'm honor-bound to remain here as proprietor...it was Mariko's dying wish."

"/We won't forget you/, Naomi...Goodbye." saluted Rihoko, bowing to the middle-aged ex-fortuneteller.

Following her lead, Segawa, Michael, and Takayama bowed as well.

"Goodbye." Naomi returned.

She watched the other four silently file out of the parlor through the front door by the street. They all got in the limousine waiting for them outside and departed...

()()()

Outside, standing on the sidewalk in front of the window, the Blade Of Light saw the limousine drive off. She then turned and watched Naomi lock the door and take a seat at her little table by the window. "/Just like old times/..." Masane murmured with a bit of a smile...that turned into a frown at the sight of Aoi's reflection in the glass as she walked out of a dark alley across the street. "Have you come to fight me again, /little one?/" Masane asked, turning around to see the pigtailed Banshee Cloneblade standing in the middle of the street in a combat ready stance, staring at her.

"To make up for last time." Aoi replied bitterly-beginning to cry. "I /will not/ be caught off-guard again if I can help it!"

Masane walked into the street some distance away from Aoi and entered a combat ready stance herself. Aoi charged at Masane almost faster than her eyes could follow! A heartbeat later, the little Banshee Cloneblade uppercut the Blade Of Light into the air and down the street some distance away!

Masane landed on her back /hard!/ She grunted in pain when her head bounced off the pavement from the impact of her landing. She slid to a stop and sat up. Licking away a trickle of blood from the corner of her mouth, she mused, "Fair enough-I /deserved/ that for underestimating you." standing up, she added, "Your power and ability appear to /equal/ my own now...A contest of /skill/ it is then...Don't expect that trick to work a /second time/..." she walked toward Aoi, gauntleted forearms held up at the ready...

"Of course not.../But you never know/..." Aoi replied with a smile, walking toward Masane in a similar fashion...

()()()

/Meanwhile.../

Staring out the window, Naomi thought back to the time when Rihoko and Masane first showed up at the Natsuki Building and how it was /never/ a dull moment whenever they were around. Inwardly, she was happy for them. But the situation changed utterly the night Masane went out to face the I-Weapons that overran the city and the Cloneblade she fought near the top of Tokyo Tower. Then the situation worsened and, to her, /never got better/...She wept bitterly at the hopelessness of it all-crying out loudly in grief and sadness. Heartbroken, she laid her head on her arms that were crossed on the table and cried herself to sleep...

(X)

/In the Heavens, a *pivotal* phone conversation was taking place.../

"Now, Skuld, /dear Daughter/...Naomi's suffering is at an end. /I have decreed it!/"

"...It /is/ done, Father...What of Masane?"

"The Blade Of Light is taking care of a /little/ problem right about.../now/."

"Understood, Father...Goodbye."

"Goodbye, dear Skuld."

(X)

"Hello, Naomi." greeted Masane.

Naomi raised her head and looked. "/Masane!...You look...*different!*/" the ex-fortuneteller got up and walked over to the Blade Of Light. "I must be dreaming-you left us thirteen-odd years ago!"

"No you're not." Masane countered gently with a smile, tears running from her eyes and down her cheeks. "Look behind you."

Naomi did and gasped at the sight of her lifeless middle-aged body reposed as it were when she cried herself asleep earlier. She turned back to Masane.

"Take my hand and let's /go/, Naomi." Masane declared softly, holding out her hand to Naomi. "/He/ is waiting for you...You've suffered enough-/He said so/."

Naomi hesitantly took hold of Masane's hand and allowed herself to be led outside-/passing through the still locked front door!/ Both women walked to the middle of the street and stopped. Masane backpedaled a few steps, knelt down, and held both arms out to Naomi. She said something to the young ex-fortuneteller as her wings extended themselves from her back through her mane of long white hair to their full size-the engines spooling up to full power. A few moments later, Naomi climbed into Masane's arms and wrapped her arms around Masane's neck to hold on.

They then rose up into the sky and were gone from the face of the Earth...

(X) 38. Passing (X)

/Dohji Group Headquarters, twelve years later.../

Rihoko sat at her desk, reviewing and signing an assortment of documents laid out in front of her...

The intercom on her desk chimed. "Madam Vice Director, the Director is on the line." came the voice of her secretary. Rihoko stopped what she was doing. "Put him through." she directed.

"Yes, Ma'am." answered the secretary.

A moment later, Takayama came on. "Hello, Rihoko."

"Hello, D-...Director." Rihoko replied, off-balance a moment.

"/Good/...to hear your voice again. Michael, Segawa, and I are on a chartered flight heading back. The meeting was a success. See you soon...Goodbye."

"I'll meet you at the airport after your flight lands...Goodbye."

The line disconnected.

Rihoko smiled to herself as she went back to her paperwork. /Goodbye, Dad/...

(X)

/In Skuld's Office in the Heavens.../

Urd, Belldandy, and Skuld stood silent and solemn-Their Hands joining Them in a Circle. As One, Their Facial Markings began to glow. A moment later, a soft /ding/ came from Skuld's computer Desk-terminal next to Them.

/It was *done*/...

(X)

/Later, in the plane.../

"/Gentlemen/."

"/Masane!/"

".../Uh/-I must've dozed off there... did you just say something, Director?"

"No, I /didn't/, Segawa."

Takayama and Segawa paused and stood up.

"Step aside, Michael." ordered Takayama.

Michael, standing in front of them, did so a moment later.

Segawa reached up to adjust his glasses-his thumb and index finger touched each other. He blinked in puzzlement and lowered his hand from his face.

"I am either dreaming...hallucinating.../or dead/." Takayama concluded in a stoic, matter-of-fact tone.

Tears rolled down the Blade Of Light's cheeks. She stood in an open area in the cabin in front of the three men. "See for yourself-look behind you."

Takayama looked behind him and frowned. "Ashen blue complexion." he observed. "Death by asphyxiation and exposure."

"Loss of cabin pressure...and the /extreme/ cold outside up here found its way /inside/." added Segawa glumly, taking a look as well.

Masane held her hands out toward the others. "/Come/...join hands with me and we can depart.../He/ is expecting you all."

"It would be /most unwise/ to refuse His invitation." noted Takayama solemnly.

The three young men gathered in a circle with Masane and joined hands with her and each other.

Masane's wings sprouted from her back and her engines spun up to full power. The four rose upward and phased through the plane's fuselage on their way to /His Presence/...

The pilot AI flew the plane to its final destination without further incident...

(X)

/In Skuld's Office in the Heavens.../

Skuld Looked up at Her Elder Sisters-Tears streaming down Her Face as the glow faded from all Their Facial Markings. "/*Why*...Why must people be *SO CRUEL* to one another!/"

As One, Urd and Belldandy each sank to one Knee to look on Their Youngest Sister Face to Face.

"Skuld, Father gave Mankind a /very precious gift...one even *He* won't take away from them...*Choice.*/" Belldandy explained gently.

"Choice?" repeated Skuld inquisitively, looking at Belldandy.

Urd addressed Skuld with /utter/ gentleness and sincerity. She /dared not/ do otherwise for the moment! "Skuld...I made a /vital choice/ long ago, though it didn't seem that way at first...If I /had not/ made the decision I did, I would be Your /sworn/ Enemy now...and Belldandy's too-"

"Hild.../Your *Mother!*/" Skuld gasped, wide-Eyed.

"As a Servant Of Evil in Hild's Service." Urd continued, "But I /chose/ to stay with Father and become a Servant Of Good with You and Belldandy...I believe I made the /right/ choice but others /do not/. That is why, in the end, Hild has Her Queendom and Her subjects."

"And Father has His Kingdom and His subjects." Belldandy added, Smiling.

Skuld paused in contemplation then reached out to hug Belldandy. "Thank you Both, I /understand/ now."

A moment later, Belldandy hugged Skuld. "You're welcomed, Skuld."

A moment after that, Urd reached around Her two younger Half-Sisters and hugged Them Both to Herself tightly. She silently wept Tears of Joy for /not/ pledging Her Allegiance to Her Infernal Birth Mother...

/Thank You...for *everything*...Papa-Sama.../ Thought Urd as She sobbed all the more embracing Her Sisters. Just then, a still small Voice sounded in the depths of Her Heart: /You are *most welcome*, Urd, My Dear Daughter./

(X)

/Later, at the airport in Tokyo at night.../

Rihoko watched silently as Dohji personnel removed the bodies of the three men from the cabin of the plane. Her secretary came to her side.

"They are /all dead/. Your orders, Madam Director?" she asked tentatively.

A single tear ran down Rihoko's face. "Prepare them for their /final/ resting place. Leave the car with me and go with the others."

The secretary handed the car keys to Rihoko and left the plane cabin-leaving the young industrialist alone with her thoughts.../filled with overflowing sadness and despair/...

()()()

Masane heard Rihoko's anguished cries of grief and loss standing on the tarmac next to the stairs leading up to the cabin door. She was heartbroken as well! "/Oh, Rihoko!/...You're all /alone/ now and it isn't your time yet!" she sobbed loudly, bowing her head.

"The operation was a /resounding/ success!"

Masane looked up and saw Rie and Asagi standing across the way from her.

"I convinced that assassin to sabotage Takayama's flight to kill him to get to /you/, Witchblade!" cackled Rie victoriously. "The death of his assistant and bodyguard was an /unexpected bonus!/"

"...You.../monstress!/" whispered Masane, utterly distraught!

Rie's demeanor turned /maniacal!/ She placed her fists on her hips and proudly proclaimed, wide-eyed, "/Now/ Witchblade, take your revenge! Show me your full pow/erk!/"

Masane was speechless! "/Why?/" she asked a moment later, watching Rie slide lifelessly off Asagi's forearm and taloned hand and disappear.

A red gleaming aura outlined the last Banshee Cloneblade, then faded away. "Like she said years ago, 'That is enough for today.' I have /no/ reason to fight you Witchblade...now.../or ever!/ I'll be off now to make the assassin pay for their deed like Rie just now." explained Asagi.

"Thank you." murmured Masane in gratitude a few moment later.

Asagi smiled and nodded her head. "Farewell, Witchblade..." She unfurled her large bat wings, leapt up into the air, and flew off.

Masane watched Asagi fly off into the night sky with a smile on her face and tears of relief and gratitude streaming from her eyes and down her cheeks...

()()()

Hild, The Queen Of Hell, Looked up in the sky and watched Asagi fly off. She then Looked at Masane from across the way-unseen by the Blade Of Light as was Her companion, Her most loyal (but somewhat bumbling) demoness servant Mara. Hild paused and gave a large Sigh. "She looks /so/ happy...in the midst of /crushing/ tragedy...How does she /endure/ it?"

Mara paused in thought for a moment. "Hild-Sama, I have /no/ idea...If I was in her place, I would be beside myself with grief!"

"I see..." The Queen Of Hell paused for a moment of reflection, then snapped Her Fingers. "Oh, Mara, did you get those business cards made like I wanted you to?"

"Sure did, Hild-Sama. Even had a case made and attached it to the pocketspace where the cards are stored so You'll /never/ run out." beamed Mara, handing Hild a small pink and black case with shiny gold trim.

Hild opened the case up, pulled out a business card from behind the gold clip that held it, revealing another card, and Looked at it for a few moments and Smiled. "Good work, Ma-chan!"

"Thank you, Hild-Sama!" exclaimed Mara gratefully.

Hild closed the case and turned the card over on top of it. She traced Her index Finger along the back-causing words to appear out of thin air on the card... "This is good for one all-you-can eat meal at Nifelheim Realm Buffet-enjoy!" She Smiled and handed the card back to her beautiful, loyal subordinate.

"Thanks again, Hild-Sama!" added Mara enthusiastically, pocketing the card for later use when she was /really/ hungry and in the Infernal Realm. "What of Asagi?"

Hild clasped Her Chin, deep in Thought. "I don't Know as of yet...She outlasted all the other Banshees without doing much of /anything/. She is a minion after My Own Heart who considers the consequences of /any/ action she takes. Surely, in time she will prove herself to be a /valuable resource/ to Me as you have done already, Ma-chan."

Tears of Joy fountained down Mara's face. "Thanks for the compliment, Hild-Sama!"

Hild Smiled and allowed Mara to bask for a few moments in Her Praise. "One more thing, Mara, keep an eye on the Witchblade. Give me a status report when I call for you later."

Mara wiped the tears from her face with her hand and stood up straight at attention. "Yes Ma'am!"

"And /NO/ bar-hopping with my Daughter Urd before you report to me. Afterward...you may imbibe your libations to your heart's content in one another's company." Hild ordered sternly with a smirk.

"Yes Ma'am! Thank you, Ma'am!" Mara replied eagerly.

Hild turned to Mara. "Farewell for now, Ma-chan."

Mara turned to Hild. "Farewell, my Queen!" exclaimed Mara triumphantly. The fire of duty and commitment burned hot and bright in her eyes like firey flames! The loyal demoness watched her Queen fade away...to return to Her Duties in Nifelheim as CEO of Hell...

(X) 39. Gulf (X)

/In a room at Dohji Group Headquarters, forty years later.../

Rihoko, now seventy-two, stared across the room at a group of nine objects on display from the cushioned recliner she sat in. Six were urns that held the cremated remains of her father, his long-time assistant, and four of her friends from the Natsuki Building from long ago. The ashes of her sixth friend were encased in the crushed, cube-shaped remains of his car. The last two items were artifacts left behind by her two mothers-one by birth, the other by chance. One was two seashells resting on a small pile of sand in a small, stoppered bottle with a dangling loop of cord attached to it. The other was the broken remains of a cellphone.

The white-haired elderly industrialist thought back to her younger days when they were all alive. The loss gnawed at her and had intensified over the course of six and a half decades-to the point where her heartache became /almost unbearable!/

"I miss you all /so much!/...I want to see you all again!" she sobbed weakly. Lost in her grief, she pressed a button on the armrest of her recliner. The lights in the room dimmed and Rihoko cried herself to sleep...

(X)

/Kami-Sama's Office in the Heavens.../

Masane stood at attention before her Commander-In-Chief. "Masane Amaha, reporting as ordered, /Sir/." She announced crisply.

He Smiled back at her from His Seat behind His Desk. "Nice to see Lind's penchant for efficiency rub off on you, Blade Of Light."

"Thank You, Sir." replied Masane thankfully. "I was training in midair combat with Lind when You summoned me here by way of Your 'still small Voice'...How may I be of service to You, Sir?"

"I'll get to that in a moment. Did you enjoy yourself?" He asked with a bit of a Smile.

Masane grinned broadly at Him. "I /sure/ did Sir! It was an /exhilarating/ combination of aerial dogfighting, sword fighting, and hand-to-hand combat. Asuka happened to fly by when she was off-duty and joined in the melee to train with Lind and I as well. Too bad we couldn't train in 'no quarter' mode. That is reserved only for /real/ fights with /real/ enemies as opponents-something the three of us all have experience with."

"That is true." He added, standing up. He Walked to a Door in one of the rear corners of His Office, opened it and stepped through the Doorway into the light beyond that cast Him in shadow. "Come, Blade Of Light." He beckoned with a gentle Voice.

Masane walked to the Doorway and stood behind Him. "Ready, Sir."

He Smiled to Himself. "It is /time/...follow Me."

Masane gasped softly. "/Riko?/" she whispered inquisitively.

He nodded His Head and began walking further into the light. Masane followed behind Him as the Door closed behind her...

(X)

/Later.../

"Rihoko..."

"/Rihoko/..."

Rihoko opened her eyes and gasped! ".../Mother...Father...*Masane!*/" she cried with delight, seeing her three parents. She then asked Masane, "Why is your yukata /glowing/?"

Masane smiled and shrugged. She was wearing a white yukata with matching tabi and blue-thonged zori on her feet. A blue obi was around her waist. /Everything/ she wore gave off a soft, pleasant glow of white or blue.

"What's the matter, can't you /talk?/" Rihoko asked, worried.

Masane unclasped her hands from behind her back and held them in front of her for Rihoko to see.

"The Witchblade.../it's gone!/" Rihoko exclaimed in amazement.

Masane smiled at Rihoko. A moment later, a pair of large white feathery wings sprouted from her back for Rihoko to see. She made them flap slightly twice to convince Rihoko her wings were real.

"/You're an angel now!/" gasped Rihoko in awe and wonder!

Reina smiled at her daughter. "It was her reward from /Him/ for ransoming me from a place called the Hall Of The Fallen."

"Rihoko," began Takayama solemnly. "Masane gave up the power of the Witchblade-/and her humanity/-to reunite us as father, mother, and daughter."

Rihoko looked at the brown-haired, yukata-wearing angel. "Thank you, Masane." Rihoko gazed lovingly at her angelic foster mother in silent adoration for a time when something /finally/ caught her attention. "Masane...why are your eyes /blue?/"

At this, Reina beamed with delight at her daughter's observant, inquisitive nature. "A parting gift from /Him/ as a permanent reminder of her faithful service to Him as the Blade Of Light...and also the key to the restoration of her powers from Him should her service be needed by Him in the future."

Smiling, Masane nodded her head in acknowledgement.

"How did that come to be?" Rihoko added inquisitively, a sparkle of delight filling her eyes after decades of contained heartache left her inwardly numb-/it was like she was seven years old all over again!/

Reina and Takayama walked over to Rihoko's recliner and stood next to her-Reina on the left and Takayama on the right. Masane walked forward and stood in front of the recliner.

"That is a story /for another time and place/, dear daughter." replied Reina gently.

"The others are waiting for us to return...as is /He/..." Takayama beckoned.

Masane reached out and joined hands with Reina and Takayama. They, in turn, held out their hands for Rihoko to take to complete the circle which she did a moment later. Masane then began to sing an /utterly beautiful/, wordless lullaby to her elderly foster daughter.

Rihoko smiled-crying in gratitude as Masane's song began to wash all the years of pent up sadness and anguish out of her being. "/Thank you...all of you/..." She sighed in relief, closing her eyes.

Masane summoned her power and /spirited away/-all four of them as glowing white silhouettes of light that faded away into darkness...

()()()

/Knocknocknock!/

"Madam Director, are you OK in there?"

"She's been in there /all night!/"

The door opened to reveal two guards standing in the doorway. One of them shined a flashlight into the room.

"Nothing seems /amiss/." concluded the first guard flicking the light switch next to the door.

"Over there," alerted the second guard.

Both guards walked over to Rihoko's recliner. Their boss /looked/ peacefully asleep...but the way her arms dangled over the armrests above the floor indicated otherwise...

The first guard crouched down and felt Rihoko's wrist. "/Still warm/-no pulse though." He noted a bit sadly.

"Well...her final thoughts put a /smile/ on her face-whatever they were." observed the second guard, pulling out his walkie-talkie. "I'll call it in-and set things in motion."

The first guard stood up again. "So /it is/...her long, troubled life finally ended in the elusive peace she sought after and so /richly/ deserved...Farewell, Madam Director..."

Both guards bowed to honor the passing of their leader, employer, /and friend/...

(X)

/In the Heavens.../

Rihoko opened her eyes-blinking a few times as light filled them. She was lying down on something.../a bed?/ "Where am I?" she murmured wonderingly, sitting up in the bed. The covers fell away and Rihoko looked down at herself. "What a soft, comfortable, /pretty/ white nightgown...But why is it /glowing/ like Masane's yukata?" Rihoko shrugged, got out of bed, stood up, and looked around some more. "Hey, this looks like the inside of the apartment I shared with Masane at Mariko's. /How could that be?/...The Natsuki Building was condemned and demolished forty years ago /at *my* orders/." Rihoko then saw something /very/ familiar draped over a chair a few steps away. "That looks like the dress I wore when I was seven but it's so /big/...it's adult-sized.../just like *me*/..." Rihoko walked over to the chair for a closer look. Her gaze fell to the floor. "Even the sneakers are adult-sized." Rihoko reached forward to take hold of the dress and paused. "My hand.../it isn't wrinkly and withered with age anymore!/...something *wonderful* happened to me!" Rihoko touched the dress and /blinked/-she then saw the nightgown was folded neatly on the chair. She looked down and saw she was wearing the dress /and/ the sneakers! "/Wow!/" Rihoko breathed in awe and wonder. She walked over to the window to open the curtains. Light filtered into the room around the large silhouette of something beyond. Rihoko swept the curtains open and gasped with /rapt/ delight. Framed by the /glorious/ sights of Heaven outside, was Rihoko's angelic foster mother who smiled and waved at her foster daughter-her large, white feathery wings flapping slightly. Rihoko stepped back as Masane slowly flew into the room-phasing through the window and landing in front of her.

Masane smiled at Rihoko and held her arms out to her-fully extending her wings up above her head.

Rihoko slowly stepped forward and hugged Masane-she closed her eyes and pressed her cheek against Masane's yukata-covered bosom.

Masane hugged Rihoko and pressed her chin to the top of Rihoko's head. She closed her eyes and /smiled/. A moment later, Masane curved her wings down to Rihoko. Overlapping them, she pressed them gently to her foster daughter's back.

At that, Rihoko began to cry within the soft, gentle feathery cocoon Masane provided her-sobbing with relief and joy as her angelic foster mother ministered wave after wave of love and peace to her to heal and restore her from all of her troubles once and for all...

()()()

/In Kami-Sama's Office.../

Kami-Sama and His Three Daughters were watching Masane's reunion with Rihoko on the TV.

There wasn't a dry Eye in the Room...

"That's enough for now." He stated, misty-Eyed. He pointed at the TV with His index Finger-it switched off. "Let them have their privacy to re-unite with one another and the others."

Skuld was bawling with unchecked emotion! She wiped Her Eyes and Nose across the sleeve of Her Robe-leaving behind a damp, slimy Stain. "That was /*so* beautiful/, Father! Thank You for letting Me help You to make what We All saw /possible!/"

Belldandy wiped the Tears from Her Eyes and blew Her Nose with a handkerchief She held in Her Hand that matched the coloring of the Robe She wore. "My sentiments /exactly/, Skuld." She said wistfully with a Smile.

Urd swallowed down the lump of emotion in Her Throat and wiped away the Tears that spilled down Her Cheeks with Her Fingertips. "Well said, Kiddo.../well said!/..."

Kami-Sama couldn't bring Himself to speak up and formally dismiss His Daughters from His Presence-the moment was /just too special to interrupt!/. He sat back in His Chair and silently watched His Daughters all calm down separately then bow to Him silently as One. Skuld turned around and walked to the Door to Her Father's Office. Belldandy and Urd immediately fell into step behind Their Youngest Sister. A moment later, He used His Power to open the Door and watched His Three Daughters file out of His Office to return to Their Duties. "You are All /most welcome/, My Dear Daughters..." He Pronounced softly, His Power closing His Office Door back behind Them...

()()()

/In the apartment with Masane and Rihoko.../

When Rihoko calmed down, Masane lifted her wings from her foster-daughter's back and folded them behind her own back.

Rihoko released Masane and stepped back. "Thank you, Masane."

Masane nodded, her gesture saying /you're welcome/.

"The others.../are they *all here*?/" Rihoko asked, her eyes full of hope and anticipation.

Masane nodded again.

"/Downstairs?/" Rihoko asked eagerly and expectantly.

Masane nodded a third time-smiling at her foster daughter. She took her by the hand and gently led her out of the apartment to go downstairs to be reunited with everyone again.

The door to the apartment was left open...

(X)

/The Queendom Of Hild.../

The Daimakaicho was busy doing Administrative Paperwork in Her Office...

/Knocknock./

"Enter." Hild said, looking up to see the Door open.

Mara entered Hild's Office and walked over to Her Desk holding a small red and black box in her hand. The blonde demoness stopped and held the box out to her Boss. "Here You are-straight from the jewelers."

"Thank you, Ma-chan." Hild took the box from Mara, opened it up and smirked. "The jeweler must have been listening to /Titles/ on endless repeat mode while he made this...It's /beautiful/...just like /Me/ of course!" She Grinned for a moment as She closed the box and stashed it in one of the drawers in Her Desk.

Mara wiped away a tear from her eye. "I /didn't/ know humans could get such /beautiful/ music out of themselves with the help of a computer!"

Hild leaned back in Her Chair, gazing at the picture frame perched on top of Her Desk. "The human's /foremost/ entertainment achievement award committee gave the composer their /highest/ award. This occurred in the late twentieth century when the music was used in a historical movie. It was about a couple of foot racers competing in a /worldwide/ athletic competition held every four years-that time in Paris, France in the early twentieth century."

"Peorth /surely/ would have /loved/ that movie...That Goddess falls /madly/ in love for Paris and all things French." Mara noted.

Hild smiled and steepled the Fingers of Her Hands together. "She probably seen it already then surely went /gaga/ sixteen years later over that three-hour-plus /chick flick/ 'disguised' as a /disaster movie/. I find it /surprising/ that the film was directed by the /same/ fellow responsible for those two grim, action-packed films about killer robots sent back in time from a bombed-out, post-apocalyptic future.../Hmm/, the guy who scored the 'romantic disaster' film with a combination of computers, synthesized voices, and musical instruments won the award from the same committee as well. Both wins were separated by sixteen years-sixteen being a /perfect/ binary power of two...the /lifeblood/ of computers whose inner workings are governed by the simple absence or presence of electricity."

Mara gulped in awe at Hild's profound musing...then remembered something else she needed to tell her Boss. "Hild-Sama, Asagi has returned from her latest mission and is now sleeping in her quarters."

Hild nodded in acknowledgment. "Ma-chan, I've been thinking about restarting the Banshee Team...as a smaller group of /independent/ agents...all having Asagi's power level...Oh, the /havoc/ I'll wreak on Creation with them!" Hild rubbed Her Hands together with malevolent glee as She continued to gaze at the picture on Her Desk.

"Any candidates in mind?" Mara asked hesitantly. She had to be /very/ careful what she said or did whenever Hild would 'wax maniacal' whenever She wanted to...usually /without warning!/

"I have the three of them in Mind already. The first is one they used to call 'Fry Face' topside."

Mara gulped-shivering with trepidation! Fry Face's bloodthirstiness was /legendary/ while she was alive. When she died and came Here, Hell became a bit /colder and darker!/ "And the second one?"

"That meganekko ex-lieutenant of that paramilitary terrorist organization named after a kind of snake." Hild said offhandedly, examining Her manicure on one Hand. "Ironically, her code name was the royal title she bore while she was alive. Down Here, My lesser minions call her that /still/ as she performs her duties as one of My /top/ disciplinarians."

The color drained from Mara's face. "And...the /third/ one?..."

"That /deadly/ alien girl who once lived in that 'far away galaxy long ago'...Her name /literally/ means...'Dark Claw'" Hild explained nonchalantly.

Mara resisted the urge to clap her hands to her cheeks and /scream with fright!/ Dark Claw was likely the /worst/ of the three! Relentlessly homicidal...insanely skilled with a /deadly/ shaft of techno-illumination...and disturbingly fond of tattoos that covered most of her crimson skin. Even the two tentacles that sprouted out of her head and draped behind her on her back made her look like the dark demoness of /death/ she used to be when she was alive! "As you wish, Hild-Sama, I'll get to work on it!" Mara declared resolutely. /Here goes *nothing!*/ thought the blonde demoness with a /gulp/. "Um...Hild-Sama, is /that/ a picture of Your Daughter Urd You're Looking at?"

Hild snapped out of Her malevolent reverie and Blushed /instantly/-becoming a doting Mother showing off a picture of Her Child to others. "Yes it is! Want to see it?"

Mara paused a moment to /not/ seem too eager-that would be sure to make Hild suspicious of her actions! "I'd like to...if You don't mind."

"/Of course not!/" Hild crowed with Pride, handing Mara the picture frame. "Isn't My Urd-Chan /gorgeous/... just like /Me/-Her Mother?"

Mara looked at the photograph of Urd in the picture frame and smiled. /She looks *so* happy...What was She Thinking about when this photo was taken of Her?/... "Most definitely, Hild-Sama. Who took the photograph?"

"Peorth-Chan." replied Hild happily. "Not only are cameras Her transport medium, She is /quite/ the Shutterbug using them as well!"

"How did that go?" Mara asked, handing the picture frame back to Hild.

Hild placed the picture frame back on Her Desk and continued to gaze at it. "As payment for Urd's picture, I promised Peorth I'd fund Her first movie as Her directorial debut. When She comes up with a viable script, We'll Both travel to Earth and get it filmed and distributed. We'll show those humans a film whose entertainment value is /out of *their* world!/"

Mara then spoke quickly to pre-empt her Boss from Voicing cascading bales of Laughter that were sure to /never/ end! "I see...Will there be anything else, Hild-Sama?"

Hild's demeanor shifted to a more subdued state. She waved Her Hand toward Mara nonchalantly. "No, that will be all for now, Mara...you are /dismissed/."

Mara turned and left Hild's Office as fast as she could /without looking like she was running for her life!/ The demoness was glad to be excused from Hild's presence during one of Her /more intense/ mood swings. /Maybe its that time of the millennia for Her/ thought Mara to herself on the way out the Door. To even /murmur/ such things would /surely/ bring down the /full limited force/ of the Queen's Wrath on her pretty blonde head-a fate she /wouldn't/ wish on her /worst enemy/...who /also/ happened to be her /best Friend/...

()()()

/Inside Hild's Office.../

"Urd," murmured Hild in a sad, brooding Tone, "why do You /remain/ with Him?...You are /no longer/ in the /dire/ danger You were in when I took You to Him as a Toddler.../Please/ come back to Me...if only for a /few moments/..." Hild picked up the picture frame and clutched it to Her Bosom-bowing Her Head and closing Her Eyes as She did so. Her Anguish consumed Her and caused a single Tear to drip from the corner of Her Eye. It fell and splattered on the protective glass pane covering the picture of Her Daughter...

(X)

/In the Heavens...and in the Queendom Of Hild.../

The World Tree Computer System and its Infernal Counterpart, The Daimakaicho Computer System, were the Two Pillars upon which the Entire Fabric Of Reality rested upon thanks to the vast, limitless calculations they Both performed to maintain It. Both Systems observed Hild in that moment and decided to do something on Her Behalf to insure the uninterrupted continuation of Reality. They Both came to the same result concerning The Queen Of Hell at that /same moment: WISH GRANTED/.

(X)

/In Kami-Sama's Office.../

Urd entered Her Father's Office, closing the Door behind Her. "You summoned Me, Father?" She asked.

He Pointed to the TV. It was on. "She /needs/ You...Go to Her." He commanded gently in a simple, matter-of-fact Tone.

Seeing Her Mother distraught caused Compassion to utterly flood Urd's /entire/ Being as She levitated Herself and flew into the TV...

(X)

/In Hild's Office.../

"Hild-Sama!"

Hild jumped at the sound-Her Eyes popped open! "/Urd!/...How did You get /Here?/"

Urd sank to one Knee and bowed Her Head. "Most Beloved Dear Hild-Sama, I am here at the Behest of My Father, Kami-Sama."

Hild looked at the TV above Her Daughter's Head. A Toothy White Grin pierced the shadow that covered Him while seated at His Desk in His Office.

Hild set Urd's picture back on Her Desk. She stood up, walked over to Her Daughter, and knelt beside Her. "Let Mommy give You a /Big Hug/..." She announced dotingly, embracing Urd and hugging Her firmly.

Overcome with emotion, Urd began to bawl in Her Mother's embrace! "Most Beloved Dear Hild-Sama! I am /extremely/ sorry I am /unable/ to speak to You using that honored title You desire /so much/ to Hear come forth from My Lips. You and Father gave Me Life Itself yet I /cannot/ give You the proper honor I give Him out of fear of becoming like /You/ in My Words and Deeds.../Please/ forgive Me, Most Beloved Dear Hild-Sama-My Choice to remain obedient to My Father keeps Us Both in constant torment with /no end/ in sight!"

As Urd continued to bawl, She began to convulse slowly with Anguish. Hild sensed Her Daughter was becoming /hysterically distraught/-an /extremely dangerous/ condition for Her to be in! "/*Shhh* My Dear Little Urd-Chan/ don't cry anymore...Mommy wants You /happy/, not /sad!/" cooed Hild softly, slowly rocking Urd back and forth to calm Her down. "You can call Mommy /anything/ You like so long as You do it with /True Love/ from the Bottom Of Your Heart!"

After several moments, Hild's Words of reassurance sank down into the deepest depths of Urd's Being-lifting Her Spirit and snapping Her out of Her emotional tailspin. She then gently pulled away from her Mother and wiped the Tears from Her Eyes with Her Fingertips. "/Really?/ Pinkie Swear?"

At that, Hild melted Inside with Happiness-Her Little Urd-Chan was /truly/ back! She shed a few Tears of Happiness and wiped them away as Urd did. She then held out the pinkie Finger of Her Right Hand expectantly with a bit of a Smile.

A moment later, Urd mirrored the gesture as well. Smiling at each other, Mother and Daughter hooked their Fingers together then tugged Them apart to seal the Pact. As They did so, Their Facial Markings flashed brightly for a moment causing Them to Grin at one another.

"This Pact is herby sealed between Hild, the Mother Of My Daughter and Urd, the Daughter of Hild and Myself." He Pronounced from the TV above Their Heads. "This Pact takes effect /immediately/ and has been duly recorded by Both Computer Systems in Both Realms."

Urd reached in and hugged Her Mother. "I must go now.../Mother/." She stood up and started to levitate.

Hild was /speechless/ for a moment! She started to Cry again, watching Her Daughter fly into the TV to return to Her Father. "Thank you, Dear Daughter, It is an /honor/ for Me to be called 'Mother' by You again /at last...after *so* long!/"

Urd Looked back at Hild from the TV, a /serious/ Look on Her Face! "Savor this moment while You can, Mother. I will /only/ be at liberty to call you 'Mother' when the Three Of Us are together in private for a moment /such as this...whenever that will happen again/...So /don't/ try to manipulate things to make it happen-/it *won't* work, Mom!/...Surely another such moment will come Our Way when the time is right-always be on the lookout for it."

"I will, Dear Daughter." Hild Promised sincerely, Her Tears streaming down Her Cheeks and onto the Floor of Her Office.

"Until the next time, it will be 'business as usual' between Us. A necessary safety measure for the Both Of Us. Only with Our combined Presence with My Father in private can I /safely/ call you 'Mother' as I /should/...and as You /truly deserve/ to be called with no problems, difficulties, or ill effects to Me."

"Understood, Dear Daughter." Hild acknowledged, standing up again.

"That's all for now." Urd bowed Her Head and closed Her Eyes. "Until next time.../goodbye, Mother/..."

A moment later, Hild's TV switched off.

/*Joy*...unspeakable and unfathomable/...filled Hild's Entire Being. So much so, She /felt compelled/ to express it-safely. At a Thought, She manifested Chibi-Hild and said to Her, "I gotta step out for a while. You and Mara take care of things while I'm gone until I return, OK?"

"OK, go. Nifelheim will be /fine/ while you are away." replied Chibi-Hild.

"Thank you, Chibi-Hild." The Daimakaicho then disappeared in a Silhouette of red light...

(X)

/Somewhere in outer space, far from Earth.../

Hild reappeared-suspended in the starry black void /on nothing at all!/ Being a Deity, /She neither suffocated, froze, *or* exploded!/ She took a moment to admire her surroundings then opened Her Mouth and began to Sing a song of praise to Her Daughter Urd and Her Father as well. It was pantomime under such conditions-Hild knew it and /didn't care!/. As She Sang silently, Her Joy caused Her Control over the vast Power within Herself to slip. An Aura of roiling red energy encompassed Her Body and expanded quickly into a /gargantuan/ glowing red Sphere. Her Power was /so concentrated/, it became totally opaque-hiding Her from view. To an outside observer, Hild look like /a red giant Sun!/ As Her song climaxed and ended, the Power surrounding Her exploded away from Her with the force of a /Supernova!/ As Hild basked in the Afterglow of Her exuberant expression of Joy, She sensed She had /Changed!/...As the pleasant fog of Delight lifted within Her Mind, Hild caught hold of a bit of her Power and /Willed/ a giant framed Mirror into existence in front of Her. She Gasped in awe-then Smiled a moment later: /My Alternate Form...It's been *ages* since I last looked like this/...

Her Jewelry, Bodysuit, /and Shoes/ as She knew them were /gone/...now replaced with a look and attire /most befitting/ to Her extreme Beauty and High Station as Queen Of Her Realm...

A strapless Bikini fashioned from threads of /pure enchanted gold/ and dotted with sparkling gems adorned Her Body-hiding away the /most intimate/ Areas Of Her robust Feminine Pulchritude /and/ limiting the vast stores of Power within Her. At Her Back, were two large feathery Wings-one pink, the other black and /both/ crested with white feathers.

At a Thought, Hild's Reflection was replaced with a view of a sandy beach at sunrise on an uninhabited tropical island on Earth. /Time to give My Alternate Look a thorough *workout*/ Hild Thought with eager anticipation, combing the Fingers of both Hands through Her bushy, full Mane of Moonlight Hair that Crowned the top of Her Head and flowed down Her Back like a silken, silvery waterfall. Stretching out toward the Mirror, She spread Her Wings and flew into it-toward the destination of Her choosing It displayed to Her.

A moment later, the Mirror Frame winked out of existence in outer space...

(X)

/In Hild's Office.../

Chibi-Hild occupied Herself by watching the goings-on in Nifelheim on the Realm's CCTV network by way of the TV in the Office. She heard knocking at the Door. "Come in."

Mara entered holding a box of crayons and a coloring book. She took them over to the Desk where Chibi-Hild was sitting at. "Here are the things You wanted, Chibi-Hild-Sama."

Chibi-Hild Pointed at the TV to turn it off. She turned and Smiled back at Mara. "Thank you, Ma-chan. There was nothing but the same old /boring/ stuff on TV anyway. You can go now."

"Yes, Chibi-Hild-Sama." Mara replied, leaving the Office.

The Hell Queen's Avatar opened the book and set to work coloring the first page in it...

(X)

/On a deserted tropical island on Earth.../

Hild woke up, and sat up in Her hammock. She stretched out Her Arms and Yawned Herself fully awake. She got out of the hammock, stood up, and Looked out to the horizon to see the sun beginning to set. "What a /wonderful/ day I had flying, exploring, and swimming in this /lush/ tropical paradise-I /really/ enjoyed Myself here today!...Someday, I /have/ to come back here again with Urd to share this /wonderful place/ with Her!" She frowned then added with a wistful Sigh, "Oh /poo!/ Duty calls...Oh well, back to The Office." With a Thought, Hild shifted out of Her Gold, Gem-Encrusted Bikini and back into Her more familiar Attire. She then became a Silhouette of red light and returned to Her Office.

(X)

/In Hild's Office.../

Hild appeared next to Her Desk. "I'm /back!/ Didja miss Me?" She Chimed with a Smile.

"Did you have /fun/ while you were out?" asked Hild's Avatar sweetly, looking up from Her coloring book.

"I *sure* did! Let's get back to work!" Hild exclaimed happily, fully rested and refreshed from Her leisure time spent on the island. She merged with Chibi-Hild, sat down at Her Desk, put the coloring book and crayons away in a drawer in Her Desk, summoned a fountain pen into Her Hand, and began to plow through the mountain of Administrative Paperwork piled in Her Inbox with focused, enthusiastic zeal and commitment...

(X) 40. Life (X)

/At the site of Reina's body in the forest, nine months later.../

"Still looks /new/..." observed Michael.

"Just like the day they moved everything else here by my /last/, posthumous command." noted Rihoko.

"That should be /impossible/." Naomi countered. "It's been /too long/ for anything to remain /totally/ unchanged after all this time outside in the elements."

"It seems /He/ wanted these items preserved /no matter what/." mused Segawa.

Masane nodded with a smile.

"Why did you have to crush up my car? It was my pride and joy!" groaned Tozawa, a glum look on his face.

"It was Rihoko's idea to use it as an urn to hold your ashes." Takayama replied stoically. A moment later, he smirked. "Besides, who would want to buy a used car once owned by a /murder victim?/"

Tozawa harrumphed in understanding. "I see your point."

"So Masane, why are we here-by /His/ Order?" asked Reina.

Masane nodded and began to sing wordlessly. Her song was /so/ breathtakingly beautiful, it brought tears to the eyes of /everyone there/...

...A bit later, the brown-haired angel's song summoned streams of white, beady energy from out of the air, the assorted containers before them, and Reina's crystallized body that disappeared slowly through the stream coming from it. These streams traveled out to touch their rightful owners on the top of their head and flow into them in their entirety...

...As Masane's song reached its climax, she closed her eyes, pressed the palms of her hands together in front of her, and slowly extended her wings over her head. Energy streamed out of the air into them-causing them to glow white with scintillating energy. As her song drew to a close, her wings faded away from the tips above her head down to where they protruded from her back...

Masane went quiet and slumped to the ground crying. Her attire shifting out of her glowing angelic clothes and back into her old 'street clothes' she last wore the night she went out to fight the I-Weapons. "/Thank you/...oh so /very/ much, Kami-Sama!" she sobbed in thanksgiving and adoration.

Reina reached down and picked up her cellphone on the ground by her feet. "We are /now/ all corporeal once more by /His/ grace and mercy." she noted reverently. It was intact again. She found it contained everything she had stored on it before Maria broke it-/including/ a record of all her experiences she had after she died saving Rihoko from Maria. She cocked her eyebrow at the message at the bottom of the display...By /His/ Power, He transformed her cellphone into an audio/video diary with /infinite/ storage capacity and retrieval speed to document their journey through /Eternity/...

Across the way, Cho looked at Mariko, who was standing next to him. "/Wow/, Mariko! You look like a /bodybuilder/ now!"

Mariko held up her arm to look and flexed her bicep. It tore a hole in the sleeve of her blouse!

"Criminy! /He/ must have turned my excess flab into /muscle!/" exclaimed Mariko observantly.

Rihoko rushed to Masane as she was standing up and hugged her tightly. "Masane!" she cried happily.

Masane hugged her foster daughter back in kind. "Oh, Rihoko! /He/ gave us all our bodies back...young, healthy, strong, and whole again!"

They both cried in each other's arms for quite some time. No one dared to disturb their post-restoration reunion...

...Not even /Him/...

The moment passed and Masane and Rihoko parted and stepped back from each other. Everyone watched Rihoko walk over to the Witchblade statue and remove the bottled seashells that hung around its neck like an impromptu necklace. Returning to Masane, she placed the cord around her foster mother's head and draped it around her neck as she did many, many years ago as a young child the fateful night Masane went out to face the I-Weapons that overran Tokyo...

Rihoko glanced at the seashells, then looked into Masane's beautiful piercing blue eyes. "Those belong to /you/." she stated resolutely, smiling.

In an instant, Masane was overcome with emotion! She grabbed Rihoko up into her arms tightly. "/Riko!/" she sobbed joyously, tears running down her face.

Tears filled Rihoko's eyes and ran down her face as she hugged Masane in return and happily sobbed, "/Mom!/"


End file.
